Green Tea vs. Prostate Cancer

Category: Cancer, Healthy Eating, Healthy Living, Men

Many a times, discoveries in the medical field have occurred by chance. For example, take the case of Green Tea. Chinese legend says that few leaves from the Camellia sinesis tree inadvertently dropped in the pot containing the boiling water for the emperor. Intrigued by light-brown color of the water and the pleasant smell, the emperor tasted it and declared it be ‘haven-sent’. The Chinese people since then have been taking it as a health-supplement drink and also to cure a host of ailments – from common cold to depression.

The green tea reportedly lowers the cholesterol level in blood, promotes weight loss, decreases the free radicals that damage the cells in the body and checks the formation of blood clots. They also help in curing ailments like cardiac and Alzheimer diseases. Studies even point that it also inhibits the growth of prostate cancer, the dreaded cancer which accounts for the lives of most men in US apart from lung cancer.

Chart related to Prostate Cancer

Earlier studies showed that the polyphenols in green tea is treated as a potential ingredient for the treatment of cancer. This was not supported by FDA, as people consume so little of it and hence, any evidence in support of it can only be inconclusive. So, Dr. James Cardelli, along with his colleagues at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, conducted clinical case studies in order to find out the relationship of active compounds in green tea supplements on the progress of prostate cancer.

Twenty six men in the age group of 26 – 68 years, who were diagnosed with prostrate cancer and are to be operated for radical prostatectomy, were included in the study. Before the surgery, all of them took 4 capsules that contained 1 – 3 grams of brewed concentrated green tea for a period of 12 to 73 days (average of 34.5 days). The serum level of the three biomarkers relating to prostrate cancer namely, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), prostate specific antigen (PSA) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were considerably reduced.

There was reduction of HGF, VEGF and PSA by 18.9 percent, 9.9 percent and 10.4 percent respectively and in some cased there was an overall decrease of as much as 30 percent. The research revealed that in vitro, which is the principal actechin in polyphenon E, quickly checked the production of HGF, apparently at its transcription level. Production of VEGF, which have an important role in the angiogenic process in cancer-associated fibroblasts, was also checked by it. The effect of the drug was same on patients of all age, group and race.

Although earlier studies had pointed that the liver function may get affected by the high levels of EGCG, but during the study the patients did not show any such effects. Based on the study, the researchers concluded that the serum levels of prostrate cancer patients showed a significant decrease in the PSA, HGF and VEGA after getting a brief treatment with EGCG (Polyphenenon E). There was also no increase in the liver enzymes and as such Polyphenon E has the potential to be used for the treatment of prostrate cancer.

Dr. Cardelli also pointed that the case study is to be authenticated by conducting it amongst a larger group of patients. “Its effect is to be verified with placebo-controlled trials. Green tea may not be capable to shrink the tumors but it would impede the growth of the cancerous cells. Hence, it can be used as an adjunct to other cancer treatments like radiation and chemotherapy.” He further elaborated.

He also opined that research should be done to find out the role of tea polyphenols along with other compounds used for cancer, in preventing the progress as well as the recurrence of cancer.

“There is evidence that supports the fact that diets rich in plant compounds do have a role in preventing the progress and development of cancer.”

John Neat, chief executive of Prostrate Cancer Charity, is of the opinion that although green tea shows promise of preventing and slowing down the progress of prostrate cancer, there is still no conclusive evidence that supports it. “But, the findings of the research are encouraging and in cases of slowly growing tumors with a low risk factor, green tea could be tried under the constant monitoring. By this, the associated effects of the traditional treatments of cancer can be avoided.”

As per the estimate of the American Cancer Society, there would be 192,280 cases of prostrate cancer and as many as 27,360 men would succumb to it in 2009. Hence, men over the age of 50 are advised to be tested for it at least once in a year but unfortunately, most men do not do it and thereby put themselves at an increased risk of being affected by it.