Doctor issues warning over spicy food after influencer dies of stomach cancer
Chinese content creator Qianqian, 25, died from the disease last month and listed her love of chili as a potential reason for developing the deadly cancer.
Talking to local media on what may have triggered her diagnosis, she said: 'I don't like to eat breakfast for a long time. I eat irregularly. I like spicy food.'
Qianqian's online title was 'I love crab pot,' referencing her love of a Chinese seafood hot pot dish containing large quantities of dried chilies and Sichuan pepper.
Now, Taiwanese oncologist and haematologist Dr Li Sijin said it was possible the influencer's love of spicy food could have increased her cancer risk.
She explained excessive consumption of chili peppers could aggravate the stimulation of the gastric mucosa-the innermost lining of the stomach.
Dr Li, who works at Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, said this irritation could potentially trigger changes in the cells of the stomach which may develop into cancer.
She advised that although chilies can form part of a balanced diet, they must be eaten in moderation.
However, there is no conclusive evidence that eating spicy food increases the risk of stomach cancer, with studies exploring the topic delivering mixed results.
Dr Li added that an irregular eating schedule wouldn't carry the same level of risk to the stomach.
Qianqian previously explained that before her diagnosis in 2024 she had been suffering from stomach pains for more than six months.
However, she dismissed these potential early warning signs as a consequence of her poor and inconsistent dietary habits.
When her cancer was eventually uncovered medics performed a total gastrectomy, where the entire stomach is surgically removed in a bid to save her life.
However, the disease was found to have returned just a month later, having spread to other tissues in her body.
In her final days she shared a post with her followers: 'Still alive, lingering, vomiting all the time, the tumour in my stomach is getting bigger and bigger, the time I am awake is getting less and less.
'I don't want to pick up my phone, the hospital is very noisy and I'm in a bad mood.'
While the evidence that spicy food can contribute to cancer risk is inconclusive some foods are known to increase the chances of developing the disease.
Charity, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) cites evidence that people who eat high levels of pickled foods have between a 28 to 56 per cent higher chance of developing stomach cancer compared to those who eat the fewest.
People with high salt intake in their diet are also at increased risk of stomach cancer with a 68 per cent higher chance of developing the disease, according to CRUK.
While these increases risk sound dramatic the odds that a person will develop stomach cancer is quite low.
CRUK estimates that one in every 92 men and one in 170 women in Britain will develop stomach cancer in their lifetime.
And there is also some evidence that spicy food can in fact be good for your health.
A 2024 study by the British Journal of Nutrition suggested that eating a spicy dish once a week reduced the risk of stroke by 13 percent.
Additionally, in 2020, the American Heart Association found people who ate moderate quantities of chili were 26 percent less likely to die from heart disease than those who never eat them.
Though it does not mention chili specifically the NHS warns that stomach cancers can be linked to lifestyle factors.
The health service advises eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day and cut down on salt and alcohol to reduce the risk of the disease.
About 6,500 patients in Britain and 30,000 in the US are diagnosed with stomach cancer each year.
The disease kills about 4,000 Britons and 11,000 Americans per annum.
If caught in its earliest stages, the majority of stomach cancer patients (65 per cent) will survive a decade after their diagnosis according to charity Cancer Research UK.
However, for stage four patients, 10-year survival drops to just one in five.
The main symptoms of stomach cancer include heartburn or acid reflux, physical problems swallowing, nausea, indigestion-like burping a lot-and feeling very full after eating.
Anyone with these symptoms for three weeks or more, or who find they suddenly get worse, should contact their GP.
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