Even though this W.H.O. based agency has classified coffee
as a possible carcinogen since 1991, does its recent “change of mind” spell
good news for coffee drinkers around the world?
By: Ringo Bones
Since 1991, the International Agency for Research on Cancer or
IARC has classified coffee as a Group 2B carcinogen citing that it could
significantly increase one’s risk of getting bladder cancer. But during a
recent press release back in Wednesday, June 15, 2016, the IARC announced after
a result of their ongoing research that there is no conclusive evidence that
drinking coffee causes cancer and thus eliminating coffee from their list of "good tasting" carcinogens list. Sadly, the IARC also announced the recent
results of their ongoing research that very hot drinks – anything above 85
degrees Celsius – are probably carcinogenic and these include coffee, tea, hot
cocoa, etc.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer or IARC is
an intergovernmental agency forming part of the World Health Organization of
the United Nations. It was formed back in May 1965 and is headquartered in
Lyon, France. The IARC categorizes agents, mixtures and exposures into five
categories. Note that the classification is based only on the strength of
evidence for carcinogenicity, not on the relative increase of cancer risk due
to exposure, or on the amount of exposure necessary to cause cancer. For
example, a substance that only very slightly increases the likelihood of cancer
and only after long-term exposure to large doses, but the evidence for that
slight increase is strong, would be placed in Group 1 even though it does not
pose a significant risk in normal use.
→ Group 1: carcinogenic to humans: There is enough evidence
to conclude that it can cause cancer in humans.
→ Group 2A: probably carcinogenic to humans: There is
strong evidence that it can cause cancer in humans but at present it is not conclusive.
→ Group 2B: possibly carcinogenic to humans: There is some
evidence that it can cause cancer in humans, but at present it is far from
conclusive.
→ Group 3: not classifiable as to carcinogenicity in
humans: There is no evidence at present that it causes cancer in humans.
→ Group 4: probably not carcinogenic to humans: There is
strong evidence that it does not cause cancer in humans. Only one substance –
caprolactam – has been both assessed for carcinogenicity by the IARC and placed
in this category.
