OMG.... YOU MEAN ALOT OF TEENAGERS WILL ACTUALLY SUFFER FROM THIS?
Sodas May Raise Cancer Risk
Carbonated Beverages May Increase Risk of Esophageal Cancer
May 18, 2004 -- You may want to think twice before reaching for a soda. A new study suggests that carbonated soft drinks may raise the risk of cancer of the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.
Cancer of the esophagus is one of the fastest growing cancers in the western world. It is often in an advanced stage when it is diagnosed. In advanced stages, esophageal cancer can be treated but rarely can be cured.
"Since many cancers are affected by what we eat and drink, we looked back at data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to see what [changes in the diet] could explain the [more than fivefold] increase in esophageal cancer rates over the past 50 years," says Mohandas K. Mallath, MD, professor and head of the department of digestive diseases and clinical nutrition at Tata Memorial Hospital.
Mallath presented the results of his study at a meeting of digestive disease specialists this week in New Orleans.
"What we found was a huge rise in intake of carbonated soft drinks," he tells WebMD. Per capita consumption of carbonated soft drinks rose by more than 450% during the past half-century, from 11 gallons in 1946 to 50 gallons in 2000 -- the equivalent of two cans of soft drinks per person per day, he says.
Since exposure to cancer-causing agents usually precedes the disease by about two decades, "an association seemed possible," Mallath says.
Searching the medical literature for evidence to bolster the theory, his team found a study offering a strong biological basis to explain the link, he says.
The study showed that drinking carbonated beverages exposes the gastrointestinal tract to excess acid, the hallmark of acid reflux disease, or GERD, he says. And other studies show that GERD is a risk factor for esophageal cancer.
Also, countries in which people drink very few carbonated beverages, including Eastern Europe, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, and India, have had little increase in the incidence of esophageal cancer, Mallath notes.
Sodas May Raise Cancer Risk
Carbonated Beverages May Increase Risk of Esophageal Cancer
May 18, 2004 -- You may want to think twice before reaching for a soda. A new study suggests that carbonated soft drinks may raise the risk of cancer of the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.
Cancer of the esophagus is one of the fastest growing cancers in the western world. It is often in an advanced stage when it is diagnosed. In advanced stages, esophageal cancer can be treated but rarely can be cured.
"Since many cancers are affected by what we eat and drink, we looked back at data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to see what [changes in the diet] could explain the [more than fivefold] increase in esophageal cancer rates over the past 50 years," says Mohandas K. Mallath, MD, professor and head of the department of digestive diseases and clinical nutrition at Tata Memorial Hospital.
Mallath presented the results of his study at a meeting of digestive disease specialists this week in New Orleans.
"What we found was a huge rise in intake of carbonated soft drinks," he tells WebMD. Per capita consumption of carbonated soft drinks rose by more than 450% during the past half-century, from 11 gallons in 1946 to 50 gallons in 2000 -- the equivalent of two cans of soft drinks per person per day, he says.
Since exposure to cancer-causing agents usually precedes the disease by about two decades, "an association seemed possible," Mallath says.
Searching the medical literature for evidence to bolster the theory, his team found a study offering a strong biological basis to explain the link, he says.
The study showed that drinking carbonated beverages exposes the gastrointestinal tract to excess acid, the hallmark of acid reflux disease, or GERD, he says. And other studies show that GERD is a risk factor for esophageal cancer.
Also, countries in which people drink very few carbonated beverages, including Eastern Europe, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, and India, have had little increase in the incidence of esophageal cancer, Mallath notes.
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10:53 AM
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