Drinking Soda Linked to Gullet Cancer Rise
 (NewScientist.com News Service, 5/18/04)

Mohandas Mallath of Tata Memorial Hospital, India, and team, reviewed US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data that shows a rise in the per capita consumption of carbonated beverages that was greater than fourfold for the years from 1946 through 2000. White American males, who tend to be the greatest consumers of this type of beverage, had a nearly fivefold increase in the rates of esophageal adenocarcinoma during the period from 1974 to 2000. The scientists correlated these two trends, concluding that there may be an association between drinking soda and developing cancer of the esophagus, the tube between the mouth and the stomach. Previous studies have shown that soda can precipitate gastric reflux, which causes the gullet to become acidic for long periods of time, thereby increasing the cancer risk. In addition, investigators note a similar rise in esophageal cancer in other countries where carbonated drinks are common; but not in places, like Japan and China, where soft drinks are not as popular. Scientists will need to do additional research in order to confirm a causal link.