Drinking six cups of coffee every day can cut a man's risk of prostate cancer by almost 20 per cent, according to the results of a new study published in the Daily Mail today.

New research shows heavy coffee drinkers are less likely to develop a tumour than those who drink none at all, or just a few cups daily.

Scientists found it helped to ward off localised cancer - the slow-growing types that are mainly confined to the prostate - but had less effect on more aggressive forms of the disease.

The findings, published in the Annals of Oncology, are the latest in a series of conflicting reports on the supposed benefits of coffee in keeping cancer at bay.

Earlier this year, Dutch scientists claimed the drink had no effect on a man's chances of developing a prostate tumour but tea slashed the risk by more than a third.

But a U.S. study in 2011 also found six cups a day could more than halve the odds of developing a tumour.

The risks increases with age, with men over 50 more likely to develop a tumour, and there is a strong genetic element to it.

As with some other types of cancer, diet is thought to be a key factor in the development of the disease.

Scientists have found it difficult to identify the impact of specific types of food or drink because it can be hard to tease out the precise effects of each one.