Skip to main content
Log in

Coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk: an updated meta-analysis

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Many epidemiological studies have been conducted to explore the association between coffee consumption and prostate cancer. However, the results remain inconsistent. We performed a large meta-analysis of relevant studies to derive a more precise estimation of this relationship.

Methods

Systematic searches of PubMed and several other databases up to June 2013 were retrieved. All epidemiologic studies regarding coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk were included, and odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the strength of the association.

Results

Twelve case–control studies involving 7,909 prostate cancer cases and 9,461 controls and nine cohort studies involving 455,123 subjects were included in our analysis. Compared with the lowest category, the unstratified highest category of coffee consumption showed a significance reduction in prostate cancer risk of a fixed-effects model (OR 0.91, CI 0.86–0.97). A borderline significant influence was also found when the stratified highest category (US ≥4, Europe ≥5) of coffee consumption was compared with the reference category (OR 0.96, CI 0.92–1.00), but no relationships were observed for the other two categories. In another analysis conducted by coffee consumption and prostate cancer stage and Gleason grade, our results showed a significant inverse association in all categories of prostate cancer except Gleason <7 grade in a fixed-effects model; the results remained the same, except for advanced prostate cancer, in a random-effects model.

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis suggests that high (e.g., highest ≥4 or 5 cups/day) coffee consumption may not only be associated with a reduced risk of overall prostate cancer, but also inversely associated with fatal and high-grade prostate cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jemal A, Bray F, Center MM, Ferlay J, Ward E, Forman D (2011) Global cancer statistics. CA Cancer J Clin 61(2):69–90. doi:10.3322/caac.20107

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Ferlay J, Shin HR, Bray F, Forman D, Mathers C, Parkin DM (2010) Estimates of worldwide burden of cancer in 2008: GLOBOCAN 2008. Int J Cancer 127(12):2893–2917. doi:10.1002/ijc.25516

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Giovannucci E, Liu Y, Platz EA, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC (2007) Risk factors for prostate cancer incidence and progression in the health professionals follow-up study. Int J Cancer 121(7):1571–1578. doi:10.1002/ijc.22788

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Svilaas A, Sakhi AK, Andersen LF, Svilaas T, Strom EC, Jacobs DR Jr, Ose L, Blomhoff R (2004) Intakes of antioxidants in coffee, wine, and vegetables are correlated with plasma carotenoids in humans. J Nutr 134(3):562–567

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Higdon JV, Frei B (2006) Coffee and health: a review of recent human research. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 46(2):101–123. doi:10.1080/10408390500400009

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Huber WW, Scharf G, Nagel G, Prustomersky S, Schulte-Hermann R, Kaina B (2003) Coffee and its chemopreventive components Kahweol and Cafestol increase the activity of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in rat liver—comparison with phase II xenobiotic metabolism. Mutat Res 522(1–2):57–68

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cavin C, Marin-Kuan M, Langouet S, Bezencon C, Guignard G, Verguet C, Piguet D, Holzhauser D, Cornaz R, Schilter B (2008) Induction of Nrf2-mediated cellular defenses and alteration of phase I activities as mechanisms of chemoprotective effects of coffee in the liver. Food Chem Toxicol 46(4):1239–1248. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2007.09.099

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Takahashi E (1964) Coffee consumption and mortality for prostate cancer. Tohoku J Exp Med 82:218–223

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Park CH, Myung SK, Kim TY, Seo HG, Jeon YJ, Kim Y (2010) Coffee consumption and risk of prostate cancer: a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies. BJU Int 106(6):762–769. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2010.09493.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Yu X, Bao Z, Zou J, Dong J (2011) Coffee consumption and risk of cancers: a meta-analysis of cohort studies. BMC Cancer 11:96. doi:10.1186/1471-2407-11-96

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Bosire C, Stampfer MJ, Subar AF, Wilson KM, Park Y, Sinha R (2013) Coffee consumption and the risk of overall and fatal prostate cancer in the NIH–AARP Diet and Health Study. Cancer Causes Control 24(8):1527–1534. doi:10.1007/s10552-013-0229-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Shafique K, McLoone P, Qureshi K, Leung H, Hart C, Morrison DS (2012) Coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk: further evidence for inverse relationship. Nutr J 11:42. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-11-42

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Discacciati A, Orsini N, Andersson SO, Andren O, Johansson JE, Mantzoros CS, Wolk A (2013) Coffee consumption and risk of localized, advanced and fatal prostate cancer: a population-based prospective study. Ann Oncol 24(7):1912–1918. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdt105

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Wilson KM, Kasperzyk JL, Rider JR, Kenfield S, van Dam RM, Stampfer MJ, Giovannucci E, Mucci LA (2011) Coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk and progression in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 103(11):876–884. doi:10.1093/jnci/djr151

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Li Q, Kakizaki M, Sugawara Y, Tomata Y, Watanabe T, Nishino Y, Tsuji I (2013) Coffee consumption and the risk of prostate cancer: the Ohsaki Cohort Study. Br J Cancer 108(11):2381–2389. doi:10.1038/bjc.2013.238

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Geybels MS, Neuhouser ML, Stanford JL (2013) Associations of tea and coffee consumption with prostate cancer risk. Cancer Causes Control 24(5):941–948. doi:10.1007/s10552-013-0170-8

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Wilson KM, Balter K, Moller E, Adami HO, Andren O, Andersson SO, Gronberg H, Mucci LA (2013) Coffee and risk of prostate cancer incidence and mortality in the Cancer of the Prostate in Sweden Study. Cancer Causes Control 24(8):1575–1581. doi:10.1007/s10552-013-0234-9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Polesel J, Zucchetto A, Talamini R, Dal Maso L, Serraino D, La Vecchia C, Franceschi S (2012) Re: coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk and progression in the health professional follow-up study. J Natl Cancer Inst 104 (21): 1684–1686, author reply 1686. doi:10.1093/jnci/djs383

    Google Scholar 

  19. Ganesh B, Saoba SL, Sarade MN, Pinjari SV (2011) Risk factors for prostate cancer: an hospital-based case–control study from Mumbai, India. Indian J Urol 27(3):345–350. doi:10.4103/0970-1591.85438

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Stroup DF, Berlin JA, Morton SC, Olkin I, Williamson GD, Rennie D, Moher D, Becker BJ, Sipe TA, Thacker SB (2000) Meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology: a proposal for reporting. Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) group. JAMA 283(15):2008–2012

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG (2009) Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. BMJ 339:b2535

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Greenland S (1987) Quantitative methods in the review of epidemiologic literature. Epidemiol Rev 9:1–30

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Wells GA, Shea B, O’Connell D, Peterson J, Welch V, Losos M,Tugwell P The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for assessing the quality if nonrandomized studies in meta-analyses. Available from: http://www.ohri.ca/programs/clinical_epidemiology/oxford.htm

  24. van Dam RM, Hu FB (2005) Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review. JAMA 294(1):97–104. doi:10.1001/jama.294.1.97

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Jain MG, Hislop GT, Howe GR, Burch JD, Ghadirian P (1998) Alcohol and other beverage use and prostate cancer risk among Canadian men. Int J Cancer 78(6):707–711

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Hsieh CC, Thanos A, Mitropoulos D, Deliveliotis C, Mantzoros CS, Trichopoulos D (1999) Risk factors for prostate cancer: a case–control study in Greece. Int J Cancer 80(5):699–703

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Gronberg H, Damber L, Damber JE (1996) Total food consumption and body mass index in relation to prostate cancer risk: a case–control study in Sweden with prospectively collected exposure data. J Urol 155(3):969–974

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Gallus S, Foschi R, Talamini R, Altieri A, Negri E, Franceschi S, Montella M, Dal Maso L, Ramazzotti V, La Vecchia C (2007) Risk factors for prostate cancer in men aged less than 60 years: a case–control study from Italy. Urology 70(6):1121–1126. doi:10.1016/j.urology.2007.07.020

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Chen YC, Chiang CI, Lin RS, Pu YS, Lai MK, Sung FC (2005) Diet, vegetarian food and prostate carcinoma among men in Taiwan. Br J Cancer 93(9):1057–1061. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6602809

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Le Marchand L, Kolonel LN, Wilkens LR, Myers BC, Hirohata T (1994) Animal fat consumption and prostate cancer: a prospective study in Hawaii. Epidemiology 5(3):276–282

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Ellison LF (2000) Tea and other beverage consumption and prostate cancer risk: a Canadian retrospective cohort study. Eur J Cancer Prev 9(2):125–130

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Sharpe CR, Siemiatycki J (2002) Consumption of non-alcoholic beverages and prostate cancer risk. Eur J Cancer Prev 11(5):497–501

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Severson RK, Nomura AM, Grove JS, Stemmermann GN (1989) A prospective study of demographics, diet, and prostate cancer among men of Japanese ancestry in Hawaii. Cancer Res 49(7):1857–1860

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Hsing AW, McLaughlin JK, Schuman LM, Bjelke E, Gridley G, Wacholder S, Chien HT, Blot WJ (1990) Diet, tobacco use, and fatal prostate cancer: results from the Lutheran Brotherhood Cohort Study. Cancer Res 50(21):6836–6840

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Slattery ML, West DW (1993) Smoking, alcohol, coffee, tea, caffeine, and theobromine: risk of prostate cancer in Utah (United States). Cancer Causes Control 4(6):559–563

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Villeneuve PJ, Johnson KC, Kreiger N, Mao Y (1999) Risk factors for prostate cancer: results from the Canadian National Enhanced Cancer Surveillance System. The Canadian Cancer Registries Epidemiology Research Group. Cancer Causes Control 10(5):355–367

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Sang LX, Chang B, Li XH, Jiang M (2013) Consumption of coffee associated with reduced risk of liver cancer: a meta-analysis. BMC Gastroenterol 13:34. doi:10.1186/1471-230x-13-34

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Li G, Ma D, Zhang Y, Zheng W, Wang P (2013) Coffee consumption and risk of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Public Health Nutr 16(2):346–357. doi:10.1017/s1368980012002601

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Je Y, Giovannucci E (2012) Coffee consumption and risk of endometrial cancer: findings from a large up-to-date meta-analysis. Int J Cancer 131(7):1700–1710. doi:10.1002/ijc.27408

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Azam S, Hadi N, Khan NU, Hadi SM (2003) Antioxidant and prooxidant properties of caffeine, theobromine and xanthine. Med Sci Monit 9(9):BR325–BR330

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Asaad NA, Zeng ZC, Guan J, Thacker J, Iliakis G (2000) Homologous recombination as a potential target for caffeine radiosensitization in mammalian cells: reduced caffeine radiosensitization in XRCC2 and XRCC3 mutants. Oncogene 19(50):5788–5800. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1203953

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Joerges C, Kuntze I, Herzinger T (2003) Induction of a caffeine-sensitive S-phase cell cycle checkpoint by psoralen plus ultraviolet A radiation. Oncogene 22(40):6119–6128. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1206613

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Saiki S, Sasazawa Y, Imamichi Y, Kawajiri S, Fujimaki T, Tanida I, Kobayashi H, Sato F, Sato S, Ishikawa K, Imoto M, Hattori N (2011) Caffeine induces apoptosis by enhancement of autophagy via PI3K/Akt/mTOR/p70S6K inhibition. Autophagy 7(2):176–187

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Vucic EA, Brown CJ, Lam WL (2008) Epigenetics of cancer progression. Pharmacogenomics 9(2):215–234. doi:10.2217/14622416.9.2.215

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Feng R, Lu Y, Bowman LL, Qian Y, Castranova V, Ding M (2005) Inhibition of activator protein-1, NF-kappaB, and MAPKs and induction of phase 2 detoxifying enzyme activity by chlorogenic acid. J Biol Chem 280(30):27888–27895. doi:10.1074/jbc.M503347200

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Williams CJ, Fargnoli JL, Hwang JJ, van Dam RM, Blackburn GL, Hu FB, Mantzoros CS (2008) Coffee consumption is associated with higher plasma adiponectin concentrations in women with or without type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study. Diabetes Care 31(3):504–507. doi:10.2337/dc07-1952

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Imatoh T, Tanihara S, Miyazaki M, Momose Y, Uryu Y, Une H (2011) Coffee consumption but not green tea consumption is associated with adiponectin levels in Japanese males. Eur J Nutr 50(4):279–284. doi:10.1007/s00394-010-0136-5

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Kempf K, Herder C, Erlund I, Kolb H, Martin S, Carstensen M, Koenig W, Sundvall J, Bidel S, Kuha S, Tuomilehto J (2010) Effects of coffee consumption on subclinical inflammation and other risk factors for type 2 diabetes: a clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr 91(4):950–957. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.28548

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Ziemke F, Mantzoros CS (2010) Adiponectin in insulin resistance: lessons from translational research. Am J Clin Nutr 91(1):258S–261S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.28449C

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Ma J, Li H, Giovannucci E, Mucci L, Qiu W, Nguyen PL, Gaziano JM, Pollak M, Stampfer MJ (2008) Prediagnostic body-mass index, plasma C-peptide concentration, and prostate cancer-specific mortality in men with prostate cancer: a long-term survival analysis. Lancet Oncol 9(11):1039–1047. doi:10.1016/s1470-2045(08)70235-3

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Hammarsten J, Hogstedt B (2005) Hyperinsulinaemia: a prospective risk factor for lethal clinical prostate cancer. Eur J Cancer 41(18):2887–2895. doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2005.09.003

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Daly AK (2003) Pharmacogenetics of the major polymorphic metabolizing enzymes. Fundam Clin Pharmacol 17(1):27–41

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Sata F, Yamada H, Suzuki K, Saijo Y, Kato EH, Morikawa M, Minakami H, Kishi R (2005) Caffeine intake, CYP1A2 polymorphism and the risk of recurrent pregnancy loss. Mol Hum Reprod 11(5):357–360. doi:10.1093/molehr/gah175

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Sweeney C, Coles BF, Nowell S, Lang NP, Kadlubar FF (2002) Novel markers of susceptibility to carcinogens in diet: associations with colorectal cancer. Toxicology 181–182:83–87

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Discacciati A, Orsini N, Wolk A (2013) Coffee consumption and risk of nonaggressive, aggressive and fatal prostate cancer—a dose–response meta-analysis. Ann Oncol. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdt420

    Google Scholar 

  56. Zhong S, Chen W, Yu X, Chen Z, Hu Q, Zhao J (2013) Coffee consumption and risk of prostate cancer: an up-to-date meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Nutr. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2013.256

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Tunnicliffe JM, Shearer J (2008) Coffee, glucose homeostasis, and insulin resistance: physiological mechanisms and mediators. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 33(6):1290–1300. doi:10.1139/h08-123

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Lehrer S, Diamond EJ, Stagger S, Stone NN, Stock RG (2002) Serum insulin level, disease stage, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and Gleason score in prostate cancer. Br J Cancer 87(7):726–728. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6600526

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Pollak M (2001) Insulin-like growth factors and prostate cancer. Epidemiol Rev 23(1):59–66

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Roddam AW, Allen NE, Appleby P, Key TJ, Ferrucci L, Carter HB, Metter EJ, Chen C, Weiss NS, Fitzpatrick A, Hsing AW, Lacey JV Jr, Helzlsouer K, Rinaldi S, Riboli E, Kaaks R, Janssen JA, Wildhagen MF, Schroder FH, Platz EA, Pollak M, Giovannucci E, Schaefer C, Quesenberry CP Jr, Vogelman JH, Severi G, English DR, Giles GG, Stattin P, Hallmans G, Johansson M, Chan JM, Gann P, Oliver SE, Holly JM, Donovan J, Meyer F, Bairati I, Galan P (2008) Insulin-like growth factors, their binding proteins, and prostate cancer risk: analysis of individual patient data from 12 prospective studies. Ann Intern Med 149(7):461–471

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Stattin P, Rinaldi S, Biessy C, Stenman UH, Hallmans G, Kaaks R (2004) High levels of circulating insulin-like growth factor-I increase prostate cancer risk: a prospective study in a population-based nonscreened cohort. J Clin Oncol 22(15):3104–3112. doi:10.1200/jco.2004.10.105

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. De Marzo AM, Platz EA, Sutcliffe S, Xu J, Gronberg H, Drake CG, Nakai Y, Isaacs WB, Nelson WG (2007) Inflammation in prostate carcinogenesis. Nat Rev Cancer 7(4):256–269. doi:10.1038/nrc2090

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Pulido R, Hernandez-Garcia M, Saura-Calixto F (2003) Contribution of beverages to the intake of lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidants in the Spanish diet. Eur J Clin Nutr 57(10):1275–1282. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601685

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Thapa D, Ghosh R (2012) Antioxidants for prostate cancer chemoprevention: challenges and opportunities. Biochem Pharmacol 83(10):1319–1330. doi:10.1016/j.bcp.2011.12.027

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Bardia A, Platz EA, Yegnasubramanian S, De Marzo AM, Nelson WG (2009) Anti-inflammatory drugs, antioxidants, and prostate cancer prevention. Curr Opin Pharmacol 9(4):419–426. doi:10.1016/j.coph.2009.06.002

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Svartberg J, Midtby M, Bonaa KH, Sundsfjord J, Joakimsen RM, Jorde R (2003) The associations of age, lifestyle factors and chronic disease with testosterone in men: the Tromso Study. Eur J Endocrinol 149(2):145–152

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Roddam AW, Allen NE, Appleby P, Key TJ (2008) Endogenous sex hormones and prostate cancer: a collaborative analysis of 18 prospective studies. J Natl Cancer Inst 100(3):170–183. doi:10.1093/jnci/djm323

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. van Dam RM, Dekker JM, Nijpels G, Stehouwer CD, Bouter LM, Heine RJ (2004) Coffee consumption and incidence of impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and type 2 diabetes: the Hoorn Study. Diabetologia 47(12):2152–2159. doi:10.1007/s00125-004-1573-6

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Bracken MB, Triche E, Grosso L, Hellenbrand K, Belanger K, Leaderer BP (2002) Heterogeneity in assessing self-reports of caffeine exposure: implications for studies of health effects. Epidemiology 13(2):165–171

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Wei F, Furihata K, Koda M, Hu F, Miyakawa T, Tanokura M (2012) Roasting process of coffee beans as studied by nuclear magnetic resonance: time course of changes in composition. J Agric Food Chem 60(4):1005–1012. doi:10.1021/jf205315r

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Shan Li or Xue Qin.

Additional information

Yu Lu, Limin Zhai, and Jie Zeng have contributed equally to this work and should be considered as co-first authors.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOC 162 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lu, Y., Zhai, L., Zeng, J. et al. Coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk: an updated meta-analysis. Cancer Causes Control 25, 591–604 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-014-0364-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-014-0364-8

Keywords

Navigation