A new health benefit to drinking coffee has been revealed this week in a study published in the medical journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Researchers have discovered that drinking three or four cups of coffee a day can reduce a woman’s risk of endometrial cancer by nearly 20 percent.

The study was conducted on about 3,000 women with endometrial cancer who were already participating in other studies. 1,303 women were partaking in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study; 1,531 women were part of the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS). The researchers had the women complete questionnaires about their dietary habits. They determined 84 foods and nutrients that may have a link to the risk of developing endometrial cancer.

Of those 84 foods and nutrients, one stood out: coffee. Women who drank three or four cups of coffee a day had a 19 percent and 18 percent reduced risk of endometrial cancer, respectively.

While this is quite a significant link, lead author Melissa A. Merritt, PhD of the Imperial College in London, is reserved about her team’s findings. “Further studies are needed to evaluate this question in other studies and to try to isolate the components of coffee that may be responsible for any influence on endometrial cancer,” said Dr. Merritt.

Endometrial cancer does not have the same amount of publicity as some other cancers; however, it will affect 1 in 37 American women during their lifetimes. In 2012, 320,000 women were diagnosed with endometrial cancer; 76,000 perished from the disease. It is the third deadliest cancer in women, following ovarian and cervical cancer.

Endometrial cancer affects the lining of the uterus or womb. It is most common in women over the age of 55. Health professionals are still not sure what causes the abnormal growth of cells in this area. Obesity, diabetes, and a generally unhealthy diet are thought to play a significant role. Yet so too can hormone imbalances in women of normal weight, particularly an excessive amount of estrogen.

Since so little is known about the causes of this cancer, it is difficult to determine exactly how coffee can reduce the risk of contracting the disease. As Dr. Merritt said, more research needs to be done.