A research conducted in Britain shows that regularly drinking beverages like very hot tea and coffee increases the risk of food pipe cancer, which is called esophageal cancer.
Researchers say that this study conducted on about one million people is the biggest research done in this direction so far.
The study found that people who drank "very hot" beverages had almost three times the risk of cancer compared to those who drank "lukewarm" tea or coffee.
However, experts emphasize that the chances of developing this type of cancer are very low.
Very hot liquids can damage the cells in the food pipe's path to the stomach.
This research of Oxford University has been published in the International Journal of Cancer. It describes any liquid with a temperature of 65 degrees Celsius or more as "very hot" and potentially hazardous.
Consuming six or more hot beverages per day also increased the risk, according to data from 977,282 middle-aged men and women.
Researchers say that although adding milk may cool the beverages slightly, it is better to wait for them to cool further before drinking.
The temperature of the tea prepared immediately after the water in the kettle has completely boiled is almost at the boiling point (boiling point) of 100 degrees Celsius.
After pouring into the cup, this temperature drops to about 90 or 95 degrees Celsius.
The advice is to wait a few minutes for the beverage to cool to a safe temperature before drinking.
Cancer Research UK says it is difficult to give an exact time on how long a hot drink should be left to cool.
"But if you are concerned, we would suggest waiting until conditions are comfortable to drink, rather than drinking it while it is still very hot," the charity said.
Lead researcher Dr Karen Papier said research conducted in South America - where many people drink a very hot herbal drink called mate - had already shown a similar link between hot drinks and food pipe cancer.
She says, "However, there is still a need to do more research in this direction as to what temperature of the beverage increases the risk of cancer."
In a separate study, 118 young adults tasted different types of black coffee several times and found that most rated the drink as hot only when the temperature was 70 degrees Celsius or higher.
According to one takeaway coffee cup manufacturer, the ideal temperature for hot coffee on the go is between 49 to 60 degrees Celsius.
According to MTPK Coffee, if a barista wants to keep the coffee hotter for longer, if a customer requests extra hot coffee it can be served at a temperature higher than 82 degrees Celsius.
Researchers suggest that about one or two cases of food pipe cancer could be avoided if people stopped drinking very hot drinks.
Squamous cell esophageal cancer is a rare disease, affecting only a few thousand people each year. In the UK, about 1% of the population is at risk of developing this type of cancer in their lifetime.
Therefore, even though drinking very hot beverages may increase a person's risk of cancer, the risk of developing cancer is still low.
And there are other factors like smoking, which is more dangerous for food pipe cancer.
Fiona Osgun of Cancer Research UK, the organization funding this study, stressed, "The most important way to reduce the risk of this type of cancer is not to smoke and reduce alcohol consumption."
Symptoms of food pipe cancer may include heartburn, indigestion or pain in the throat or chest as well as weight loss.
