Consumption of soft drinks and juices and risk of liver and biliary tract cancers in a European cohort.

Consistent consumption of both sugared and artificially-sweetened beverages can trigger the development of liver cancer.

​This study investigated the link between habitual drinking of soft drinks and juices and the tendency to develop cancer of the liver (hepatocellular carcinoma), bile duct, and biliary tract. Researchers followed more than 450,000 men and women who enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Study for 11.4 years, monitoring the soft drink consumption levels and incidence of hepatocellular, bile duct, and biliary tract cancer in the study population. 

Researchers noted that frequent intake of more than 6 servings of both artificially and sugar-sweetened beverages per week increased the odds of developing hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver cancer risk was found to be 6% higher in participants who drank an extra serving of artificially-sweetened soft drinks per day. This study provides evidence that daily consumption of soft drinks may contribute to the onset of liver cancer.