The short answer
After reviewing the evidence, IARC in 2016 classified coffee itself as 'not classifiable' — it is not a cause of cancer, and may even be linked to lower risk of some cancers. The one caveat is drinking any beverage extremely hot.
Coffee is classified as not classifiable as to cancer (IARC Group 3).
People are mainly exposed by drinking coffee, which is not classified as a cause of cancer.
It is most strongly linked to no established cancer link (and possible lower risk of some cancers).
A carcinogen classification describes hazard — whether something can cause cancer — not your personal risk at a given exposure.
Choose how you want to understand this
The full explanation.
The simple version
Good news for coffee lovers: after a thorough review, IARC concluded in 2016 that coffee is not a cause of cancer, moving it to the 'not classifiable' group. In fact, coffee may be linked to a lower risk of a few cancers. The only related concern is drinking any beverage scalding hot.
What coffee is
Coffee had been listed as possibly carcinogenic since 1991, but a 2016 IARC review of over 1,000 studies found the earlier concern was not supported. Coffee is now Group 3 ('not classifiable'). Separately, IARC flagged that drinking any beverage hotter than about 65°C is probably carcinogenic — a temperature issue, not a coffee issue.
How people are exposed
Common ways people come into contact with it:
- Drinking coffee as part of a normal diet
- This is a reassuring example of a downgraded classification
- The only caveat is very hot drinking temperatures
The cancer connection
Research suggests coffee is not a cause of cancer and may be associated with a lower risk of liver and endometrial cancers. The evidence does not support a cancer warning for coffee.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, places coffee in Group 3, not classifiable — meaning the evidence is not strong enough to decide either way (this is not a clean bill of health, and it is not proof of safety) (evaluated in 2016).
Hazard is not the same as risk
It helps to separate two ideas that are easy to mix up: hazard and risk. When an agency lists coffee as a carcinogen, it is making a statement about hazard — whether the substance is capable of causing cancer under some conditions. It is not, by itself, a statement about your personal risk, which depends on how much you are exposed to, for how long, and other factors. Two substances in the same group can carry very different real-world risks. The label answers "can it cause cancer?" — not "how likely is it to cause cancer for me?"
How to lower your exposure
- Enjoy coffee in normal amounts as part of a balanced diet
- Let very hot drinks cool for a few minutes
- Watch added sugar and heavy cream more than the coffee itself
If you are looking at your overall cancer risk, small, steady steps add up. See our overview of cancer prevention and what raises cancer risk to put any single exposure in context.
The bottom line
Coffee is not classifiable as to cancer (IARC Group 3). The most important thing you can do is understand where exposure comes from and take reasonable steps to reduce it, without losing sleep over a single label. Focus your energy on the biggest, most controllable risks in your own life.
Words to know
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Common questions
▸Does coffee cause cancer?
The evidence is not strong enough to say. Coffee is "not classifiable," meaning studies so far are inconclusive — it is neither confirmed as a cause nor cleared as safe.
▸How are people exposed to coffee?
Most exposure happens by drinking coffee, which is not classified as a cause of cancer.
▸Which cancers are linked to coffee?
It is most strongly linked to no established cancer link (and possible lower risk of some cancers). California regulators concluded in 2019 that coffee does not require a cancer warning, reflecting this evidence.
▸How can I reduce my exposure to coffee?
The main steps are enjoying coffee normally and letting very hot drinks cool.
▸Does a carcinogen label mean I will get cancer?
No. A classification is about hazard — whether coffee can cause cancer under some conditions — not a prediction that any one exposed person will develop cancer. Your actual risk depends on the amount and length of exposure and other factors.
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