Alarge new study in Sweden reports that women who drink at least two cups of regular coffee daily are less likely to develop endometrial cancer, which affects the cells lining the uterus. Emilie Friberg, PhD, of the Karolinska Institute and colleagues surveyed 60,634 women in the Swedish Mammo – graphy Cohort study about their coffee intake. Over an average of 17 years, 677 of the women developed endometrial cancer. Regular coffee drinkers proved less at risk for the cancer, with each additional cup o joe associated with a 10% lower relative risk. The coffee connection was especially strong for overweight and obese women-who are at greatest risk for endometrial cancer-with each extra cup linked to a 12% lower risk for overweight women and 20% for the obese.Coffee, researchers suggested, may affect blood sugar, fat cells and estrogen-all factors in the cancer. They called for further study including decaf, to separate the possible effects of caffeine and coffee.Coffee, researchers suggested, may affect blood sugar, fat cells and estrogen-all factors in the cancer. They called for further study including decaf, to separate the possible effects of caffeine and coffee.TO LEARN MORE: International Journal of Cancer, Nov. 15, 2009.
