Soy milk is considered healthy, but a bad habit can turn it harmful. A 50-year-old woman, a non-smoker and non-drinker who consumed soy milk daily for protein, sought medical help for difficulty swallowing. She was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. An investigation revealed that a fatal habit before drinking it turned the healthy drink into a carcinogen.
Otolaryngologist Dr. Ng Chiu-fan shared on the program Health 2.0 that the 50-year-old woman believed she was very health-conscious. She didn't smoke or drink alcohol and had a glass of soy milk every morning for protein. Later, she began experiencing a sensation of something "stuck" when swallowing and a persistent foreign body sensation in her throat, prompting her to seek medical attention. An endoscopy revealed a significant mass in her esophagus and hypopharynx. A biopsy confirmed it was hypopharyngeal esophageal cancer.
After a detailed review of her lifestyle, Ng discovered that the woman would microwave her soy milk three consecutive times at the office until it was "scalding hot and bubbling" before drinking it. Additionally, she never took soup noodles as takeout, insisting on eating them piping hot right after being served at the restaurant.
He pointed out that while the woman avoided known risk factors like tobacco and alcohol, her habit of consuming extremely hot soy milk and soups repeatedly damaged and irritated her hypopharyngeal and esophageal mucosa. Over time, this significantly increased her cancer risk. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified beverages above 65°C as a "Group 2A carcinogen" (probably carcinogenic to humans), strongly advising against consuming drinks at this temperature. A UK study found that drinking 700cc of tea above 60°C daily roughly doubles cancer risk. He specifically cautioned that even healthy soy milk shouldn't be consumed scalding hot. If you experience a long-term foreign body sensation when swallowing, treat it as a warning sign and seek medical attention promptly.
According to the Hong Kong Cancer Online Resource Centre, malignant tumors originating in esophageal tissue are called esophageal cancer. Genetic mutations in esophageal epithelial cells cause uncontrolled growth and invasion of neighboring tissues. Common types are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma more often affects the cervical (upper) and thoracic (middle) parts of the esophagus, while adenocarcinoma more often affects the junction with the stomach (lower part).
Early Symptoms of Esophageal Cancer:
Later-Stage Symptoms of Esophageal Cancer:
Besides consuming scalding hot food/liquids and alcohol, other risk factors for esophageal cancer include:
Source: Hong Kong Cancer Online Resource Centre, WHO
