Current epidemiological evidence and meta-analyses generally support an inverse association between moderate coffee consumption and the risk of several cancers, such as liver, colorectal, and prostate cancer, though some specific cancer sites like the bladder may show conflicting results.
The vast majority of recent high-quality studies and reviews (such as meta-analyses on breast cancer, large prospective UK Biobank findings on liver cancer, and studies on colorectal and prostate cancer) support a protective, inverse relationship between coffee consumption and cancer risk. An older 1991 study reported a positive association with bladder cancer risk among men, presenting a point of contention, but the broader contemporary consensus leans toward protective effects across several major cancer types.