Tea consumption and the risk of oral cancer incidence: a case-control study from China.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relation of tea consumption with the risk of oral cancer incidence. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A multicenter case-control study based on hospitalized population was conducted for evaluating the association of tea consumption with oral cancer risk in China. Black tea and green tea were separately analyzed. 723 cases and 857 controls were included. Unconditional multiple logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of oral cancer for tea consumption. RESULTS: The ORs for green tea consumption⩾8g/day compared with<4g/day were 0.72 (95% CI 0.54, 0.93) for men, and 0.93 (95% CI 0.74, 1.26) for women. The ORs for black tea consumption⩾6g/day compared with<2g/day were 0.97 (95% CI 0.74, 1.20) for men, and 0.91 (95% CI 0.68, 1.23) for women. Green tea intake was significantly associated with reduced risk of oral cancer in men, but not in women, and the association was stronger in heavily smoking men. There was no indication that black tea consumption was associated with decreased oral cancer risk. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that green tea consumption may decrease the risk of oral cancer in men especially for those smoking heavily.