Coffee does not increase the chances of developing colorectal cancer, this is the finding of a recent study released this week.
Swedish researchers who conducted one of the largest studies into colon and rectal cancer and coffee said on Monday that even drinking large amounts of coffee does not seem to increase the risk of cancer.
But they also concluded that coffee has no protective effect against the disease.
Other studies had suggested drinking coffee could help to prevent cancer but the Swedish scientists added that that conclusion may be premature.
"For patients seeking advice about coffee consumption, the evidence suggests that moderate or even high consumption will not likely influence the risk of colorectal cancer," said Professor Alicja Wolk, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
Wolk and her colleagues studied data on the coffee consumption and eating habits of 61,000 Swedish women, aged 40-74 years old.
After about nine years of follow-up they found no link between coffee and the cancer that affect more than 3.5 million people worldwide each year.
"We found no association between coffee consumption and risk of total colorectal cancer," Wolk said in a report in the medical journal Gut.
Dr Tim Key, an expert on diet and cancer at Britain's Imperial Cancer Research Fund, said the Swedish research showed that drinking coffee does not protect against colorectal cancer.
"Although some previous studies have suggested that coffee may protect against colorectal cancer, the evidence has not consistently shown a link.
This new study adds to the data against coffee being an important factor in reducing cancer risk," he said in a statement.
Cancers of the colon and rectum are common among both sexes.
They occur most often in industrialised countries.
Cases of colon cancer have increased since the 1970s.
Medical experts say a diet high in fibre and plenty of fruits and vegetables and exercise may diminish the risk of developing the disease.
Source: Reuters