Coffee and colon cancer?

OzarkGal

I apologize if this has been discussed before but have come across several studies/articles regarding colon cancer and coffee. 

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/coffee-colorectal-cancer/

"December 20, 2017 – People with colorectal cancer (CRC) who drank at least four cups of coffee per day after their diagnosis had a significantly lower risk of early death—from either their cancer or any cause—than those who didn’t drink coffee, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health."

My question is do you drink coffee to improve your odds?  I like coffee but had given it up about 5 years ago because it yellows my teeth but am considering drinking again.

 

Trubrit

Coffee

We had a member here who did coffee enemas, but allas, it did not stop the eventual outcome, and they passed away. 

Coffee, like any other food/beverage comes with its pros and cons. You have to weigh them up and come to a decision of wether it will help you personally or not. 

I personally can't stand the smell of coffee, let alone the taste. 

Tru

Mikenh

I have four boxes of Dunkin K

I have four boxes of Dunkin K-cups in my overhead bin and an open box on my desk. I'm a big coffee drinker. I used to drink the free stuff that the office provides but it has always been too strong for me (think Starbucks dark roast). I'm happy paying for Dunkin by myself (it's about $0.60/cup). I drink about 3 cups a day at the office. Yesterday was infusion day so it's only hot drinks for two weeks. Sometimes I drink tea, sometimes hot chocolate, sometimes warm orange juice.

BRHMichigan

Just added coffee back into my diet

I quit immediately upon diagnosis 10 months ago. Added it back in this week and actually feel much better as a result. Am sleeping better too, surprisingly.  Will discuss with my integrative oncologist on Tuesday, but I think he approves. 

Thank you for sharing that study. 

SandiaBuddy

Coffee

I quit both coffee and alcohol on my diagnosis.  Have since added both back.  I drink five measured cups of coffee (3 mugs with cream) a day.  Miscellaneous notes on coffee:

 

COFFEE: 52% reduction in recurrence with 4+ cups of caffeinated coffee per day.

Coffee: http://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/jco.2015.61.5062

Patients consuming 4 cups/d or more of caffeinated coffee experienced significantly reduced cancer recurrence or mortality risk compared with abstainers (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.25 to 0.91; Ptrend = .002), and increasing caffeine intake also conferred a significant reduction in cancer recurrence or mortality (HR, 0.66 across extreme quintiles; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.93; Ptrend = .006). 

NY Times: “They determined that patients who had reported drinking four or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day were 52 percent less likely to have had a recurrence of cancer or to have died than those who had never drank coffee, while those who drank two to three cups of caffeinated coffee a day were 31 percent less likely than nondrinkers to have had a recurrence or to have died.” https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/17/coffee-drinking-tied-to-reduced-risk-of-colon-cancer-recurrence-but-dont-pour-a-cup-just-yet/?_r

Coffee as preventitive (not green tea) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25500898
 High coffee consumption was associated with a reduced risk of CRA, with a multivariate-adjusted OR for the highest versus lowest quartile of coffee intake of 0.67 (95% CI?=?0.48-0.93; ptrend ?=?0.02).

Woodytele

Same as SandiaBuddy

Followed a stricter diet during my initial chemo, since then have loosened up a bit.   I’m on chemo for life, every three weeks.  You have to enjoy the finer things in life, a drink or two with dinner makes life great.  There are all kinds of chemical compounds in coffee that can be beneficial.  

enjoy The moments people!  If you enjoy a drink occasionally, do it.  

BRHMichigan

I'm with Woody

Totally sucks to deprive ourselves with all we're going through. Quality of life and overall happiness counts for so much. 

optimist777

Coffee one of the best cancer fighters

I've been battling stage4 CRC for over 9 years.  It still has not gone to my liver, but is present throughout my lymphatic system.  I drink 8 cups every morning and at a minimum I think it is a good mild pain killer, and excellent laxative.  Some people believe in coffee enemas, but to me that seems sort of silly, why not just drink it.  Anyway, I'm a very strong believer in coffee and/or tea-- drink up.  In my opinion, just based on my experience, it is full of antioxidants, possibly a liver cleanser, gives you a ton of energy for a short time period, and a mild pain reliever.  Drink up.

Trubrit

8 cups in the morning

Annabelle41415

Studies

Surveys and studies are just that.  Colo/rectal cancer can be brought on by a lot of things, big thing is heredity like mine.  Others just by chance.  Don't believe in the diet thing at all as mine was a healthy diet, exercised and was in good shape.  Yup got diagnosed at 50, so the diet went out the window - and yes drank coffee every morning.  I'm not a believer in studies like this but wish you the best.

Kim

SandiaBuddy

Annabelle41415 said:

Studies

Surveys and studies are just that.  Colo/rectal cancer can be brought on by a lot of things, big thing is heredity like mine.  Others just by chance.  Don't believe in the diet thing at all as mine was a healthy diet, exercised and was in good shape.  Yup got diagnosed at 50, so the diet went out the window - and yes drank coffee every morning.  I'm not a believer in studies like this but wish you the best.

Kim

Many approaches

Anabelle: There's room for many approaches to CRC.  We are all trying our best.  The coffee is interesting to me and perhaps to others because it deals with recurrence, not initial occurence.  Just because you drank coffee and got CRC does not mean that drinking coffee can not help to optimize the odds of not having a recurrence.  Let's share information freely and let the readers select what is worthwhile to them.

Annabelle41415

SandiaBuddy said:

Many approaches

Anabelle: There's room for many approaches to CRC.  We are all trying our best.  The coffee is interesting to me and perhaps to others because it deals with recurrence, not initial occurence.  Just because you drank coffee and got CRC does not mean that drinking coffee can not help to optimize the odds of not having a recurrence.  Let's share information freely and let the readers select what is worthwhile to them.

Information

Surely agree on sharing information, I'm just sharing that my doctor told me it wasn't anything that I'd eaten or drank, just family history.  I'm all for anyone else searching for their own journey in life.  If you never read Pete Lost at Sea's story he was one that always searched for the next approach and he was very detailed and so I'm never saying don't share info.  And I'm saying that I'm not one to believe in the food/diet thing just because of my family history, not that it's not relevant to others.

Kim

JanJan63

I wonder what it is in the

I wonder what it is in the coffee that's supposed to help. I've never been a coffee drinker. I love the smell but I've always had IBS and the coffee worked like a strong laxative for me so no choice. Now I just have no interest. I drink tea, though. 

Jan

Annabelle41415

JanJan63 said:

I wonder what it is in the

I wonder what it is in the coffee that's supposed to help. I've never been a coffee drinker. I love the smell but I've always had IBS and the coffee worked like a strong laxative for me so no choice. Now I just have no interest. I drink tea, though. 

Jan

Enema

Pete Lost at Sea gave himself coffee enemas in the ocean.  He swore by it, but he tried everything.  Everything gives me the urge to go. 

Kim

Trubrit

Ah, Pete

He tried stuff that made me gag just reading it. Some really weird 'cures' out there and a few hardy folks willing to try them. Do you remember REN? He tried allot of things, also. He passed while doing trials in Germany. 

Pete was 'different' but you had to love him.  Miss them all!

Tru

Cindy225

Coffee and Reversal

Love coffee!  Since reversal in July had to start limiting to one cup a day as it is a trigger for "running" to the bathroom.  

So bummed.  Hope will change in time as my body continues to adjust to the new normal.

Cindy

beaumontdave

Have a cup in hand most of

Have a cup in hand most of the time I'm reading here.

MAliceR

Funny thing about coffee

I drink about 4-5 cups of organic decaf a day. I like one cup hot in the morning and then having it iced throughout the day. I drink it black, I discovered if you buy really good coffee you don't need all the added stuff. I be sure and get the decaf that is done with water and not chemicals. Decaf is my choice because I have to watch my blood pressure and don't like the spikes caffeine gives me. I don't drink anything with caffeine if I can help it. One thing about not doing caffeine, you don't get the peaks and valleys of caffeine slumps. 

The funny part of this is that before I was originally diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer 6 years (and a few months) ago I had never been a coffee fan. Really hated the stuff. Then I came home from surgery and craved coffee and detested meat (still do, but that is another story for a different day). I am not sure drinking coffee makes any difference. I have had 2 recurrences since the initial diagnosis and it wasn't for lack of coffee. I think in my case I just enjoy it. There are so many things we deal with when living with cancer a small vise like decaf coffee isn't going to change the course of things. But it sure makes me happy, so why not? 

optimist777

I wonder what it is in the coffee that's supposed to help?

I suspect that parrt of the reason coffee drinkers have a lower rate of CRC, is that it is simply a very good laxative.  Having a daily flush through your digestive track is healthy for most people, removing a lot of toxins.  I'm sure that there is a lot more going on, but it has always been a big help to me for no other reason then that morning energy boost.  One thing I have never understood is why some people do coffee enemas, why not just drink it?  That really makes no sense at least to me.  Truly, drinking my morning coffee, next to my golden retriever, is the best part of day-- every day. 

Annabelle41415

Trubrit said:

Ah, Pete

He tried stuff that made me gag just reading it. Some really weird 'cures' out there and a few hardy folks willing to try them. Do you remember REN? He tried allot of things, also. He passed while doing trials in Germany. 

Pete was 'different' but you had to love him.  Miss them all!

Tru

Pete

Believe Pete also was in Germany and yes Ren tried everything, but Pete was quit the trial expert.  We have had some here that went outside the box.  John23 was in to radio waves and that one was really over my head.  Pete was one of a kind that's for sure.

Kim

Trubrit

optimist777 said:

I wonder what it is in the coffee that's supposed to help?

I suspect that parrt of the reason coffee drinkers have a lower rate of CRC, is that it is simply a very good laxative.  Having a daily flush through your digestive track is healthy for most people, removing a lot of toxins.  I'm sure that there is a lot more going on, but it has always been a big help to me for no other reason then that morning energy boost.  One thing I have never understood is why some people do coffee enemas, why not just drink it?  That really makes no sense at least to me.  Truly, drinking my morning coffee, next to my golden retriever, is the best part of day-- every day. 

Coffee enema

It is supposed to get the caffine directly to the bowel and liver as opposed to going through the system the natural way and losing some of its potency. 

I've had enough of things getting shoved up my rear-end, I wouldn't even consider doing this. 

Tru