A new study by the University of Washington, US, examines the association between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and the risk of oral cavity cancer (OCC) in smoking and nonsmoking women. It finds that women who consumed at least one SSB daily had an almost five times greater chance of developing oral cancer than those who mostly avoided these types of drinks.

The research focused on 124 OCC cases from 162,602 women participants (with over 30 years of follow-up). It found an OCC risk 4.87 times higher in participants consuming one or more SSB every day compared with less than one SSB monthly, increasing the rate of OCC by three people per 100,000 population over time.

The risk of OCC in non-smoking or light-smoking and non-drinking or light-drinking women was 5.46 times higher in those consuming one or more SSBs daily. This is compared with less than one SSB monthly.

Emerging etiopathology?

The study, published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, notes: “These findings may represent an emerging etiopathology for OCC in low-risk women.”

Over 355,000 new cases of oral cavity cancer were diagnosed globally in 2020, with nearly 177,000 deaths. There was an increase in cases among non-smokers, particularly among younger white women. The cause of this increase is not known.

“In this study, high SSB intake was associated with a significantly increased risk of OCC in women, regardless of smoking or drinking habits, yet with low baseline risk. Additional studies are needed in larger cohorts, including males, to validate the impact of these findings,” the study concluded.

Dr. Brittany Barber, an assistant professor of otolaryngology head and neck surgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine and lead author of the study, says that clinicians should be aware of the oral health risks associated with the consumption of sugary beverages and “the emerging oral cavity cancer epidemic in women.” 

“Oral cavity cancer is less common than breast or colon cancer, with an annual incidence of approximately 4–4.3 cases per 100,000. However, the incidence of oral cavity cancer is increasing in non-smoking, non-drinking women.”