How safe is Coffee?

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FindTheBestHelp
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2014 12:13 am

How safe is Coffee?

Postby FindTheBestHelp » Sun Jun 09, 2019 10:25 pm

I've heard oncologists and primary care physicians say coffee is fine, but everything in moderation, of course.
But with studies showing that there is *some* risk of cancer with coffee due to low levels of Acrylamide, even if a lot less than those found in other things like potato chips or what not, is it generally not recommended especially if you have/had cancer?

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby Lee » Sun Jun 09, 2019 10:45 pm

I drank coffee while on chemo, brought it into infusion area. No one told me no. Many years ago, 1980's, I was told to NOT drink more than one cup a day, as it can lead to breast cancer. I drank several cups a day at that time. Now they want me to drink two or more cups a day as it can help "prevent" breast cancer. Sorry but I can only handle 1 cup a day, messes with my blood pressure.

I believe they are finding coffee is actually good for you, can you reference the article you are concerned about?

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

Punky44
Posts: 498
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:29 pm

Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby Punky44 » Sun Jun 09, 2019 10:56 pm

The chemo nurses at the infusion center would ask my mom if she wanted coffee and then, do you want another cup?
Caregiver to my amazing mom (68 at dx)
10/1/18 DX with rectal cancer; CEA 17
T3N2M0
Total neoadjuvant therapy:
8 rounds Folfox 11/5/18 - 2/11/19
Short course radiation 3/14/19 - 3/20/19
Robotically assisted laparoscopic LAR 3/21/19
Pathology report says yT2N0M0 with 0/38 nodes
6/28/19 Reversal and port out
CEA 2.1; 1.9; 2.6; 2.8; 2.3; 2.4; 3.0; 3.4; 3.1; 3.4; 3.0; 3.1; 2.6
Latest update: 8/21/23 Clear CT with CEA 2.6!

Me: 34, first colonoscopy 11/16/18—normal! Come back in 5 years.

Rock_Robster
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Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby Rock_Robster » Sun Jun 09, 2019 11:13 pm

For CRC specifically, from the below review it seems unlikely to hurt; whether there’s a survival benefit however may depend on stage (some suggestion of more beneficial in Stage III), and dose (maybe 4+ cups per day).

https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(18)30162-8/pdf

Standard caveat: this doesn’t mean you can load it with milk, cream, sugar, whiskey etc., and definitely not if you have a cigarette with it...
41M Australia
2018 Dx RC
G2 EMVI LVI, 4 liver mets
pT3N1aM1a Stage IVa MSS NRAS G13R
CEA 14>2>32>16>19>30>140>70
11/18 FOLFOX
3/19 Liver resection
5/19 Pelvic IMRT
7/19 ULAR
8/19 Liver met
8/19 FOLFOX, FOLFOXIRI, FOLFIRI
12/19 Liver resection
NED 2 years
11/21 Liver met, PALN, lung nodules
3/22 PVE, lymphadenectomy, liver SBRT
10/22 PALN SBRT
11/22 Liver mets, peri nodule. Xeloda+Bev
4/23 XELIRI+Bev
9/23 ATRIUM trial
12/23 Modified FOLFIRI+Bev
3/24 VAXINIA (CF33 + hNIS) trial

FindTheBestHelp
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2014 12:13 am

Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby FindTheBestHelp » Mon Jun 10, 2019 12:05 am

Thanks for your replies. Just curious since acrylamide is supposed to be a carcinogen. They were required to put up warnings about it at Starbucks in California until it was recently determined that it was such a low dose that it would have minimal impact.

mpbser
Posts: 953
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 11:52 am

Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby mpbser » Mon Jun 10, 2019 4:30 am

I don’t believe acrylamide is naturally occurring. If it was found in coffee, there may have been some contamination from an external source.
Wife 4/17 Dx age 45
5/17 LAR
Adenocarcinoma
low grade
1st primary T3 N2b M1a
Stage IVA
8/17 Sub-total colectomy
2nd primary 5.5 cm T1 N0
9 of 96 nodes
CEA: < 2.9
MSS
Lynch no; KRAS wild
Immunohistochemsistry Normal
Fall 2017 FOLFOX shrank the 1 met in liver
1/18 Liver left hepatectomy seg 4
5/18 CT clear
12/18 MRI 1 liver met
3/7/19 Resection & HAI
4/1/19 Folfiri & FUDR
5/13/19 HAI pump catheter dislodge, nearly bled to death
6-7 '19 5FU 4 cycles
NED

Rock_Robster
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Location: Brisbane, Australia

Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby Rock_Robster » Mon Jun 10, 2019 4:56 am

mpbser wrote:I don’t believe acrylamide is naturally occurring. If it was found in coffee, there may have been some contamination from an external source.

It would seem to be a by-product of the roasting process:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/24325083/
41M Australia
2018 Dx RC
G2 EMVI LVI, 4 liver mets
pT3N1aM1a Stage IVa MSS NRAS G13R
CEA 14>2>32>16>19>30>140>70
11/18 FOLFOX
3/19 Liver resection
5/19 Pelvic IMRT
7/19 ULAR
8/19 Liver met
8/19 FOLFOX, FOLFOXIRI, FOLFIRI
12/19 Liver resection
NED 2 years
11/21 Liver met, PALN, lung nodules
3/22 PVE, lymphadenectomy, liver SBRT
10/22 PALN SBRT
11/22 Liver mets, peri nodule. Xeloda+Bev
4/23 XELIRI+Bev
9/23 ATRIUM trial
12/23 Modified FOLFIRI+Bev
3/24 VAXINIA (CF33 + hNIS) trial

mpbser
Posts: 953
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 11:52 am

Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby mpbser » Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:55 am

Interesting article, thanks for sharing.

“It was demonstrated that roasting process had the most significant effect on acrylamide levels in natural coffee, however there were no relationships found with coffee species. Due to the high acrylamide levels demonstrated in coffee substitutes, recommended amounts should be defined and manufacturers should be obliged to reduce such levels in these products.”

I wonder if there are types of roasting processes that avoid effectuating acrylamide production.
Wife 4/17 Dx age 45
5/17 LAR
Adenocarcinoma
low grade
1st primary T3 N2b M1a
Stage IVA
8/17 Sub-total colectomy
2nd primary 5.5 cm T1 N0
9 of 96 nodes
CEA: < 2.9
MSS
Lynch no; KRAS wild
Immunohistochemsistry Normal
Fall 2017 FOLFOX shrank the 1 met in liver
1/18 Liver left hepatectomy seg 4
5/18 CT clear
12/18 MRI 1 liver met
3/7/19 Resection & HAI
4/1/19 Folfiri & FUDR
5/13/19 HAI pump catheter dislodge, nearly bled to death
6-7 '19 5FU 4 cycles
NED

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GrouseMan
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Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:30 pm
Location: SE Michigan USA

Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby GrouseMan » Mon Jun 10, 2019 10:13 am

As a chemist I can say Acrylamides are ubiquitous in a lot of cooked foodstuffs coming about due to the degradation of amino acids. The cooking process often produces it in small amounts. On the other hand I have been drinking coffee ever since I was a toddler. My great grand mother use to spoon feed it to me. I have drank it in pretty large quantities all my life and so far at 60 show no signs of colon cancer from its abuse! But as many would say - all things in moderation. If you feel you drink to much. By all means cut back. But perhaps you don't want to cut it out completely. Withdrawal from caffeine can be a little painful for some. I had an aunt that would get migraines if she didn't get a cup of joe in the morning first thing.

Good luck

GrouseMan
DW 53 dx Jun 2013
CT mets Liver Spleen lung. IVb CEA~110
Jul 2013 Sig Resct
8/13 FolFox,Avastin 12Tx mild sfx, Ongoing 5-FU Avastin every 3 wks.
CEA: good marker
7/7/14 CT Can't see the spleen Mets.
8/16/15 CEA Up, CT new abdominal mets. Iri, 5-FU, Avastin every 2 wks.
1/16 Iri, Erbitux and likely Avastin (Trial) CEA going >.
1/17 CEA up again dropped from Trial, Mets growth 4-6 mm in abdomen
5/2/17 Failed second trial, Hospitalized 15 days 5/11. Home Hospice 5/26, at peace 6/4/2017

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Green Tea
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Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby Green Tea » Mon Jun 10, 2019 2:06 pm

FindTheBestHelp wrote:Thanks for your replies. Just curious since acrylamide is supposed to be a carcinogen. They were required to put up warnings about it at Starbucks in California until it was recently determined that it was such a low dose that it would have minimal impact.

The TRUTH about Coffee & Cancer (California ruling: Coffee needs a cancer warning label)
https://thenutritionwatchdog.com/the-truth-about-coffee-and-cancer/

FindTheBestHelp
Posts: 92
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2014 12:13 am

Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby FindTheBestHelp » Mon Jun 10, 2019 3:27 pm

I think I read they recently lifted that label requirement from Starbucks stores, after deciding that the risk was minimal due to the relatively low amounts of the acrylamides found in coffee (although certain brands contain more than others). But since it still poses some degree of risk I was just wondering folks with cancer think about whether it is worth the risk or worthy of concern or not.

Utwo
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Location: T.O.

Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby Utwo » Tue Jun 11, 2019 10:00 pm

Coffee is not safe.
Coffee is a strong laxative.

P.S. I did not know about this effect prior to my surgery. :(
58 yo male at diagnosis: T1bN0M0, 0/15 nodes, low grade/moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma
03/2016 colonoscopy: 2 small polyps removed in left colon; CEA = 1.3
04/2016 colonoscopy: caecum sessile 3.5 cm polyp piecemeal removed with kind of clear margins
05/2016 "prophylactic" laparoscopic right hemicolectomy - bleeding, leak, infection
06/2017 CT scan, colonoscopy OK; CEA = 1.6
A lot of funny stuff discovered by CT scans in liver, kidney, lungs, arteries, gallbladder, lymph node, pancreas

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: How safe is Coffee?

Postby Lee » Tue Jun 11, 2019 11:13 pm

Utwo wrote:Coffee is not safe.
Coffee is a strong laxative.

P.S. I did not know about this effect prior to my surgery. :(


Guess everyone is different. This in not something I have noticed with coffee. I pretty much drink one cup daily, many days without output, BUTT if I eat salad greens, especially spinach, I will be going with in hours, if I'm out and about, I carry extra bags if I plan to eat greens.

Again everyone is different. Prior to my diagnoses, I never had diarrhea or constipation unless I was sick or on medicine. Now I can live with it sometimes daily. Thank you my colostomy. Best decision I made.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!


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