3 cups of coffee / day reduces the risk of liver cancer by 50%

A new study found that drinking 3 cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of liver cancer by up to 50%.

Dr. Carlo La Vecchia is from the University of Milan, Italy and the head of the new study, affirming: "Our work has confirmed previous claims that coffee is good for your health, especially the liver ".

According to Dr. Vecchia, the positive effect of coffee on liver cancer can be indirectly through the ability to prevent diabetes, a known risk factor for disease, or beneficial effects on Liver enzymes and help improve cirrhosis.

According to researchers, drinking coffee is generally good for health, especially liver.(Photo: Alamy)

Mr. Vecchia and colleagues analyzed 16 prestigious research reports published in the period of 1996 - 2012 on a total of 3,153 different cases. The team also looked at data on 900 cases of liver carcinoma (HCC) - the most common, more recent form of liver cancer.

Despite the consistency in the results of previous studies, it is difficult to determine whether there is a causal relationship between drinking coffee and HCC cancer, or whether this relationship may be partly due to the fact that people with liver and digestive diseases often voluntarily cut down on the amount of absorbed coffee.

However, according to Dr. Vecchia, in any case, drinking coffee daily can reduce the risk of liver cancer by 50% compared to other preventive measures.

Experts say that primary liver cancer is almost preventable through hepatitis B virus vaccination, controlling hepatitis C transmission and reducing alcohol consumption. These three steps of prevention can, in principle, help prevent up to 90% of the risk of primary liver cancer worldwide.

Liver cancer is the 6th most common cancer in the world and the third leading cause of cancer death for the global population. Chronic infections of hepatitis B and C viruses are the main causes of liver cancer. Other related risk factors are alcohol, tobacco, obesity and diabetes.