Green Tea – Cancer Prevention & Treatment

Tea drinking appears to have originated in Asia and dates back over 5000 years. There has been a lot of news about green tea and its health benefits in fighting diseases of aging and other conditions but did you know about green tea cancer prevention and fighting ability?

Green tea is full of antioxidants; in fact up to one third of dry green tea is composed of antioxidants known as Catechins.  The antioxidant activity in green tea has been shown to fight damage caused by free radicals and increase cardiovascular health, organ health, fight infection and even lose weight but one of the most important things that green tea offers is the presence of Catechins which are proving to be important in the fight against cancer.

Two of these green tea Catechins important in cancer treatment are the compounds epigallocatechingallate (EGCG) and epigallocatechin (EGC).  These phytochemicals have been shown to dramatically slow tumor growth, protect the body against toxic agents that may cause cancer and may also prevent genetic damage caused by cancer and chemotherapy. Many research studies have been done showing that EGCG and EGC are proving to be beneficial in both the treatment of cancer and the prevention of cancers such as:

• lung
• breast
• colon
• prostate
• liver
• skin
• stomach
• uterine
• esophageal
• pancreas

Cancer Treatment

Green tea may be of benefit in the treatment of existing cancer tumors through the antioxidant ECGC both preventing tumor growth and reducing the size and spread of existing tumors.  EGCG is thought bind to a tumor chemical known as Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) which promotes tumor cell growth.

By binding to DHFR, green tea can inhibit tumor cell growth and cause tumor cell death.  This property of green tea may reduce folic acid levels within the body; however reduced folic acid can easily be remedied by eating foods rich in folic acid such as chicken, beans and green leafy vegetables.

In research trials, green tea extract was able to target cancer cells by making them more mature and easier to kill.  It also caused them to bind more tightly together, making it harder for the cancer to spread to other parts of the body.  This facet of green tea cancer ability also has promise when used with other more traditional treatments because the tumor cells are kept in place and are therefore easier to treat.

Green tea may also prove of some use in blocking estrogen receptors.  This will be beneficial in estrogen dependent cancers such as uterine and breast cancers.  It may also help to reduce blood supply to cancer tumors, further limiting growth and spread of the cancer cells.

In research studies it has been made clear that the agents in green tea were able to target the cancer cells, without affecting the healthy cells.  This is important because traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy target cancer cells and healthy tissue alike.  Green tree cancer treatment appears to be different.

Cancer Prevention

The Catechins in Green Tea are powerful antioxidants which may prevent genetic cell damage caused by both cancers and chemotherapy.  They are also thought to protect the body against toxic agents which may cause cancer such as cigarette smoke and dioxin.

EGCG binds to a genetic receptor known as the aryl hydrocarbon (AH) receptor which has the ability to turn on genes that can initiate cancer development.  Blocking this receptor will help ensure that this receptor remains in the “off” position so that cancer does not start.  This is important in cancers which have a high genetic pattern such as breast and colon cancers.

EGCG also activates a type of enzyme known Glutathione S Transferase (GST) which acts to break down toxic chemicals that may cause cancer.  EGCG helps to increase the activity of GST which decreases the chance that a person will get cancer from environmental toxins.

In addition to damaging chemicals found in the environment such as pollution and cigarette smoke, the human body produces its own free radicals.  To become stable, these molecules steal electrons from body proteins and genetic material.  This damage from free radicals may leave body cells susceptible to the development of tumors.  Green tea cancer antioxidants may protect the body from free radicals and may actually target and repair cells that are already damage.  This will help to prevent the development and spread of cancer.

Though all tea has some antioxidant activity, unlike black tea and green tea are unfermented and minimally processed and has 3 times the antioxidant activity of black tea.  Green tea continues to be widely studied for its cancer therapy properties.  Whether used as a cancer prevention tool or for the treatment of existing cancer, to realize the full effects of green tea cancer fighting properties, two to three cups should be consumed daily along with folate rich foods.