"Maté consumption plays a significant and independent role in the development of upper aeodigestive tract cancers," and "Maté drinking should be considered one of the risk factors for cancer of the neck and head."
The beverage maté: a risk factor for cancer of the head and neck.
Goldenberg D, Golz A, Joachims HZ.
Head Neck. 2003 Jul;25(7):595-601. Review.
PMID: 12808663
DOI: 10.1002/hed.10288
High levels of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mate drinks.
Kamangar F, Schantz MM, Abnet CC, Fagundes RB, Dawsey SM.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2008 May;17(5):1262-8.
PMID: 18483349
doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-0025
Effect of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) tea on topoisomerase inhibition and oral carcinoma cell proliferation.
Gonzalez de Mejia E, Song YS, Ramirez-Mares MV, Kobayashi H.
J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Mar 23;53(6):1966-73.
PMID: 15769122