The short answer
After reviewing the evidence, IARC in 2016 classified coffee itself as 'not classifiable' — it found no conclusive evidence that coffee causes cancer, and coffee 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 there was no conclusive evidence that drinking coffee causes cancer, and moved it to the 'not classifiable' group. Coffee may even be linked to a lower risk of a few cancers. The one related concern is drinking any beverage scalding hot.
What changed in 2016
Coffee had been listed as possibly carcinogenic since 1991. Then a 2016 IARC review of more than 1,000 studies found the earlier concern was not supported. Coffee now sits in Group 3, 'not classifiable.' In the same review, IARC flagged something else. Drinking any beverage hotter than about 65°C is probably carcinogenic. That is a temperature problem, not a coffee problem.
How people are exposed
Common ways people come into contact with it:
- Drinking coffee as part of a normal diet.
- Drinking any beverage very hot, which is the one real caveat.
The cancer connection
Research does not show that coffee causes cancer. It may even be linked to a lower risk of liver and endometrial cancers. The evidence does not support a cancer warning on coffee.
IARC is the cancer research agency run by the World Health Organization. In 2016 it placed coffee in Group 3, not classifiable.
What the classification does and does not say
A Group 3 listing describes hazard, which is what something can do under some conditions. It is not a measure of your personal risk. Group 3 also means IARC could not classify coffee either way. It is not a declaration that coffee is safe. What it does mean is that a very large review looked hard for evidence of harm and did not find convincing evidence. The very hot drinks finding is separate, and it applies to tea and other drinks too, not only coffee.
Practical notes for coffee drinkers
- Enjoy coffee in normal amounts as part of a balanced diet.
- Let very hot drinks cool for a few minutes before you drink them.
- Watch the added sugar and heavy cream more than the coffee itself.
The bottom line
IARC places coffee in Group 3, not classifiable as to cancer. In plain terms, a big review found no good evidence that coffee causes cancer. The habit worth changing is drinking your coffee, tea, or anything else scalding hot. For where any single exposure sits in the bigger picture, see our overview of cancer prevention and what raises cancer risk.
Words to know
Tap any term to see what it means.
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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Last updated: 2026-08-18Next planned review: 2028-07-05
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How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes. We do not employ clinicians and do not intend to — our work is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and checked line by line against the sources listed on it. That confirms the sources support what the page says. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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