London - Green tea may help slow the advance of prostate cancer, claim researchers.
Men with the disease who consumed the active ingredients found in green tea had lower levels of markers that predict its progress, a US study has found.
It involved the use of polyphenon E, a supplement containing green tea's active compounds which is under investigation in a number of clinical trials.
Researcher James Cardelli of the Feist-Weiller Cancer Centre, Louisiana, said: "It may have the potential to lower the incidence and slow the progression of prostate cancer."
Green tea differs from black tea in that it is not fermented before drying.
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This fermentation process appears to reduce the content of flavonoids - beneficial antioxidants - by up to 90 percent.
Recent studies have shown that green tea may be beneficial for the arteries, lowers "bad" chol-esterol and blood pressure, and reduces harmful liver enzymes.
Drinking green tea could help stave off cancer, with a study showing just four cups of green tea a day reverses cell damage in heavy smokers that might lead to the development of tumours.
The American study included 26 men, aged 41 to 72 years, diagnosed with prostate cancer and about to have surgery.
They took a daily dose of polyphenon E, equivalent to about 12 cups of normally brewed concentrated green tea, for about a month on average.
Findings showed a significant reduction in scores of prostate specific antigen, a protein marker used to chart progress of the disease, and two other biomarkers. Some patients had reductions of more than 30 per cent.
John Neate, of the Prostate Cancer Charity, said: "The results suggest that there is merit in further research into the effects of green tea, both for the prevention of prostate cancer and in controlling progression in men already diagnosed with the disease."
Two men with advanced prostate cancer have staged dramatic recoveries after being treated with an antibody drug in the US. - Daily Mail
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This article was originally published on page 7 of Daily News on June 22, 2009
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