Not smoking or alcohol addiction, one common habit can increase the risk of cancer says doctor: ‘Your body constantly has to heal these micro-burns…’

While there is no such thing as completely eliminating risk of cancer, certain lifestyle choices does increase te risk of a cancer diagnosis such as tobacco addiction, having more alcohol, being overweight etc. Taking to X, internal medicine expert Dr Priyam Bordoloi talked about one lesser known common habit that may increase risk of cancer diagnosis.

Sharing his views on X, internal medicine specialist Dr Priyam Bordoloi highlighted one commonly overlooked routine that has scientific evidence linking it to a higher chance of developing cancer. To encourage awareness, he presented a multiple-choice question asking readers to identify which ordinary habit has been conclusively associated with an increased cancer risk. The options included applying underarm deodorants, carrying a mobile phone in a trouser pocket, regularly consuming extremely hot tea or coffee, and reheating meals in a microwave oven.

In another post, he revealed that the answer was C - aka drinking piping hot tea or coffee.


Contrary to several widespread misconceptions, scientific research has found no convincing evidence that mobile phones or microwave ovens directly cause cancer. Both devices produce non-ionising radiation, a form of energy that lacks the strength required to damage DNA inside human cells, making it unlikely to trigger the genetic changes that lead to cancer.

Similarly, fears surrounding deodorants and antiperspirants have not been supported by robust scientific studies. Current evidence has not established a credible connection between the regular use of these products and an increased risk of breast cancer.

However, consuming very hot beverages is an entirely different matter. When you sip on hot beverage, you cause injury to the squamous epithelium (the lining) of your esophagus. Your body works overtime to heal these microburns. This leads to chronic inflammation which causes rapid cellular turnover.

When tissues are repeatedly exposed to excessive heat, the body must constantly repair the resulting injury. Every repair cycle requires damaged cells to divide and produce new cells. The more often this process occurs, the greater the possibility that errors may arise during DNA replication. Although most of these mistakes are corrected naturally, some genetic alterations can persist, increasing the likelihood of cancer-causing mutations over time.

Frequent thermal injury to the lining of the oesophagus can gradually trigger chronic inflammation and repeated cellular regeneration. Over many years, this cycle of damage and repair may contribute to the development of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, one of the major forms of oesophageal cancer. Because of this evidence, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has identified the consumption of very hot beverages as a probable cancer-causing exposure, underscoring the importance of allowing drinks to cool slightly before consuming them.