Green Tea and Breast Cancer Prevention: What the Experts Say

Friday, February 20, 2009 by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com (See all articles...) Tags: green tea, breast cancer, EGCG

(NaturalNews) How effective is green tea at preventing, reversing or treating breast cancer? And can green tea help improve the outcome of chemotherapy for patients who choose chemical poisons as their treatment of choice?

I searched through my library of natural health books and found the following quotes on breast cancer and green tea. They reveal the remarkable health benefits of green tea and its notable phytochemicals (EGCG).

Feel free to use these quotes with proper credit to both the original book author and NaturalNews.com for publishing this unique compilation. You may also be interested in purchasing the full books quoted below (Amazon.com links are provided).

The Experts Speak on Green Tea and Breast Cancer

Green tea is the most popular tea in China and Japan, where the lowest breast cancer rates are found. There are many health-promoting properties to green tea, and thousands of published studies verifying its benefits. Tea is generally high in antioxidants, but green is highest. Green tea is the least processed of all teas (green tea leaves are simply steamed). Oolong tea has some antioxidant effect, but lower levels than green tea, and black tea has the lowest levels of the three.
- The Natural Hormone Makeover: 10 Steps to Rejuvenate Your Health and Rediscover Your Inner Glow by Phuli Cohan
- Available on Amazon.com


Consumption of green tea was closely associated with decreased numbers of axillary lymph node metastases among premenopausal patients with stages I and II breast cancer. They also found that increased consumption of green tea was correlated with decreased recurrence of stages I and II breast cancer.
The researchers concluded, "Our results indicate that increased consumption of green tea prior to clinical cancer onset is significantly associated with improved prognosis of stage I and II breast cancer."
- Prescription for Natural Cures: A Self-Care Guide for Treating Health Problems with Natural Remedies Including Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements, Bodywork, and More by James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com


In a study published in 1998, Japanese researchers investigated the effects of drinking green tea on the progression of breast cancer. The study involved 472 patients with stage I, II, and III breast cancer. The results showed that increased consumption of green tea was linked to a decrease in the spread of breast cancer in premenopausal women. In a follow-up study, the researchers found that increased consumption of green tea was correlated with decreased recurrence of stage I and II breast cancer.
- The New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements and Herbs by Nicola Reavley
- Available on Amazon.com


...women who regularly drank black tea, on the other hand, didn't have a reduction in their breast cancer risk. The good news is that this study revealed that you don't need to drink buckets full of green tea to benefit from it. The best green tea comes from the Shizuoka area in Japan; it grows organically and has no additives.
- Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation: Unleash The Natural Healing Power That Lies Dormant Within You by Andreas Moritz
- Available on Amazon.com


The consumption of green tea was investigated in a case control study for breast cancer in Japanese women. In stage I and II breast cancer, increased consumption of green tea was closely associated with decreased numbers of metastasized axillary lymph nodes among premenopausal patients and increased expression of PgR and ER among postmenopausal women. Long-term consumption of green tea (>5 cups daily) prior to clinical cancer onset was associated with significantly lower recurrence in stage I and II breast cancer.
- PDR for Herbal Medicines, Fourth Edition by Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
- Available on Amazon.com


CLA, the nutrient we use to help control leptin, made its claim to fame by reducing the risk for breast cancer. Numerous studies confirm its ability to stop breast cancer cells. Women with higher CLA in their blood have an inverse likelihood of breast cancer. CLA works by knocking out excessive activation of NF kappaB in breast-cancer cells. Green tea is a natural option to reduce both TNFa and NF kappaB. Green tea modulates, in a positive manner, genetic signals that otherwise lead to an excess production of NF kappaB in breast-cancer cells.
- Mastering Leptin: The Leptin Diet, Solving Obesity and Preventing Disease, Second Edition by Byron J. Richards, CCN
- Available on Amazon.com


Cancer Preventative Effects: The results of a case control study for breast cancer in Japanese women suggest that increased consumption of green tea prior to clinical cancer onset is associated with improved prognosis in stage I and II breast cancer; this may be related to the modifying effects of green tea on the clinical characteristics of the cancer (Nakachi et al, 1998).
The consumption of green tea was investigated in a case control study on the risk of digestive tract cancers (esophagus, stomach, colon, and rectal).
- PDR for Herbal Medicines, Fourth Edition by Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
- Available on Amazon.com


Green tea consumption has also been associated with a better outcome in some with breast cancer. Higher intakes of green tea (mean: 8 cups/day), compared with lower intakes (mean: 2 cups/day), are associated with a significantly reduced recurrence rate and a longer disease-free period, particularly among premenopausal women with histologically classified stage I and II breast cancer. Stage III cancer patients did not appear to benefit from green tea consumption.
- PDR for Nutritional Supplements by Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
- Available on Amazon.com


Epidemiologists suggested a link between green tea and a lower risk of breast cancer after noticing that the risk of breast cancer in Japanese women who moved to the United States and adopted an American diet quickly rose from the very low risk for women in Japan to the much higher risk of an average American woman. It seems to follow that American women could lower their chances of becoming breast cancer statistics by emulating Japanese women and including green tea in their diets.
- The Green Tea Book by Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
- Available on Amazon.com


Citing numerous studies on the relationship between diet and breast cancer, a review article makes the following observations: Consumption of whole wheat and soybeans may reduce the risk of breast cancer due to their each containing estrogen-reducing substances. Low-fat and high-fiber diets may also reduce the risks. Additional plant foods believed to decrease the risk include orange oil, onions, garlic, green tea, and cruciferous vegetables.
- The Woman's Encyclopedia of Natural Healing by Dr. Gary Null
- Available on Amazon.com


One study looked at 472 women in various stages of breast cancer (labeled 1, II, or III, depending on how far the cancer had progressed). Increased green-tea consumption was associated with a decreased risk of lymph node metastasis in premenopausal women with stages I and II cancer. The researchers also found that if women with these stages of breast cancer consumed 5 cups a day of green tea on a long-term basis, they were more likely to be in remission 6 months later when the follow-up study was done.
- The Natural Physician's Healing Therapies by Mark Stengler, N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com


In test tube studies, green tea shut down the tumor promoters involved in breast cancer. Green tea inhibits the formation of cancer-causing agents in the stomach, including nitrosamines. The anti-cancer properties of green tea include: Immune stimulant. Inhibits platelet adhesion, and possibly metastasis. Antioxidant which protects immune cells for a higher tumor kill rate while protecting the valuable prostaglandin PGE-1. Inhibits metastasis. Inhibits the breakdown of connective tissue via collagenase, which is the primary mechanism for the spreading of cancer cells.
- Beating Cancer with Nutrition by Patrick Quillin, PhD,RD,CNS
- Available on Amazon.com


In another study, green tea consumption appeared to decrease some of the mutagenic effects of smoking.
- The Encyclopedia of Popular Herbs by Robert S. McCaleb, Evelyn Leigh, and Krista Morien
- Available on Amazon.com


Ordinary black or green tea, drunk in ordinary amounts, checks the initiation, promotion, and growth of breast cancer (and eight other cancers including lung and liver). Every cup of tea contains antimutagenic, anti-cancer tannins (green tea has twice the tannins of black) and antioxidant, anti-cancer polyphenols (especially epigallocatechin gallate).
- Breast Cancer? Breast Health! The Wise Woman Way by Susun S. Weed
- Available on Amazon.com


When a person at high risk for breast cancer eliminates cancer-causing chemicals from her foods and home environment, and she adds garlic, broccoli, green tea, trace minerals, vitamin D, fish oils and shifts to a plant-based diet, her "high risk" breast cancer never emerges. Why? Because it can't. She's following an anti-cancer lifestyle. She'll never express breast cancer, even if her mother did.
- Natural Health Solutions by Mike Adams
- Available on Amazon.com


Out of every 100 women who might get breast cancer, 50 of them can avoid breast cancer by simply getting adequate levels of vitamin D in their body, and that's available free of charge through sensible exposure to natural sunlight, which produces vitamin D. This vitamin, all by itself, reduces relative cancer risk by 50 percent, which is better than any prescription drug that has ever been invented by any drug company in the world. Combine that with green tea, and your prevention of breast cancer gets even stronger.
- Natural Health Solutions by Mike Adams
- Available on Amazon.com


There's good news for women who regularly drink green tea. Five or more cups a day could mean you have a better chance of surviving breast cancer. In addition, if your doctor discovers the cancer in an early stage, it's less likely to spread to lymph nodes. More than eight cups a day, for postmenopausal women, might mean even extra protection. Overall, green tea drinkers are more likely to have types of cancer that respond to medical treatment, and are less likely to get cancer again than other women.
- Eat and Heal (Foods That Can Prevent or Cure Many Common Ailments) by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing
- Available on Amazon.com


People in Japan and Iceland have low rates of both goiter and breast cancer. In fact, breast cancer is almost nonexistent in Japanese women. Colon cancer rates in Japan are also low. Breast cancer has been linked to iodine deficiency, and the soil in both Japan and Iceland is rich in both iodine and selenium. Japanese people also consume large amounts of fish, vegetables, and green tea, which may be a factor. The Cancer Control Convention in Japan has reported that germanium may be important in the prevention and cure of cancer.
- Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
- Available on Amazon.com


Green tea extract, which contains catechins and flavonoids, may be protective against estrogen-dominant breast cancer.
- Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
- Available on Amazon.com


Fibrocystic breast disease does increase the risk of breast cancer, it may be to her advantage to increase her intake of the cancer-fighting polyphenols found in green tea. Pregnant women should steer clear of all sources of caffeine, and, if possible, even avoid caffeine a few weeks before conception augmented with one of several antioxidants. All of the antioxidants improved the survival rates of these animals through the thirty-six weeks of the study of the rats that developed breast cancer tumors, the rats in the green tea group had fewer and smaller tumors.
- The Green Tea Book by Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
- Available on Amazon.com


Green tea is linked to maintaining strong bones, reducing the risk of breast cancer, and sustaining young-looking skin. However, pregnant women and women whose premenstrual syndrome or fibrocystic breast disease worsens after caffeine ingestion will want to choose decaffeinated varieties of green tea or caffeine-free green tea supplements.
- The Green Tea Book by Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
- Available on Amazon.com


Even five cups of green tea a day has been shown to delay the onset of breast cancer. Researchers now suggest green tea, by virtue of its ability to inhibit TNF, could be used before the onset of cancer as well as during and after conventional cancer treatment. [J Cancer Res Clinical Oncology 125: 589-97, 1999] Green tea extracts (0.1%) added to drinking water of animals has been shown to block TNF production in animals. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a sulfur-based amino acid sold in health food stores, has been shown to reduce TNF.
- You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore by Bill Sardi
- Available on Amazon.com


Substances that have shown promise in preventing or delaying the development of breast cancer in recent studies include alpha-linolenic acid; genistein, an estrogenic component of soy; a new vitamin D3 analog; iscador, a mistletoe (Viscum album) extract; and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a substance found in green tea. Researchers have found a strong inverse association between breast cancer deaths and fish oil; in one study, fish oil supplemented with ferric citrate proved to significantly protect mice against the spread of tumors.
- The Woman's Encyclopedia of Natural Healing by Dr. Gary Null
- Available on Amazon.com


One Harvard Medical School study that examined estrogen-dependent human breast cancer progression in female mice found that the combination of soy phytochemical concentrate with green tea synergistically reduced breast tumor growth by 72 percent, whereas the concentrate alone reduced tumor growth by 23 percent and tea alone by 56 percent. Green tea proved to be more potent than black in anti-breast tumor activity.
- Food Synergy: Unleash Hundreds of Powerful Healing Food Combinations to Fight Disease and Live Well by Elaine Magee
- Available on Amazon.com


Concerning breast cancer: In vitro studies show that green tea extracts inhibit the growth of mammary cancer cell lines. Their primary mode of action is to inhibit the interaction of tumor promoters, hormones, and growth factors with their receptors: a kind of sealing-off effect. This effect would account for the reversible growth arrest noted in the in vitro studies. The primary clinical application for green tea is in the prevention of cancer.
- The Healing Power of Herbs: The Enlightened Person's Guide to the Wonders of Medicinal Plants by Michael T. Murray, N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com


We suggest that a person with breast cancer take 5 capsules of 350-mg lightly caffeinated green tea extract 3 times a day with each meal. Each capsule should provide at least 100 mg of EGCG. It may be desirable to take a decaffeinated version of green tea extract in the evening so the caffeine does not interfere with sleep. Those sensitive to caffeine may also use this decaffeinated form. However, there are benefits to obtaining some caffeine. Studies show that caffeine potentiates the anticancer effects of tea polyphenols, including the critical EGCG.
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com


The polyphenols in green tea occupy many of the sites on the exteriors of cells that otherwise would receive estrogen. This keeps the cells from receiving estrogen, reducing the effects of estrogen on the body. This stops estrogen from stimulating growth of cells in breast, ovarian, and uterine cancer. A number of animal studies have shown that the polyphenols in green tea may offer significant protection against cancers of the pancreas, colon, stomach, lung, and small intestine.
- Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies by Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
- Available on Amazon.com


In one study of women with breast cancer who were undergoing chemotherapy, half the patients were given a preparation of mistletoe, while half were given a placebo. After the fourth round of chemo, those getting mistletoe had three times as many white blood cells as the control group (3,000 count vs. 1,000 count). The Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported that polyphenals from green tea induced cell death in carcinoma cells in vitro. An extract of green algae showed a "pronounced antitumor effect" in mice.
- The Natural Pharmacist: Your Complete Guide to Reducing Cancer Risk by Richard Harkness
- Available on Amazon.com


Quercetin was found to have this antiestrogenic activity by inhibiting breast cancer cells in a test tube. In a double-blind trial, 67% of people taking quercetin had an improvement of prostatitis symptoms, compared with a 20% tesponse rate in the placebo group. Where is it found? Quercetin can be found in onions, apples, green tea, and black tea. Smaller amounts are found in leafy green vegetables and beans.
- The Natural Pharmacy: Complete A-Z Reference to Natural Treatments for Common Health Conditions by Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
- Available on Amazon.com


The herbal treatments listed here cannot cure breast cancer, but they can help to reduce symptoms associated with the disease and its treatment. Astragalus is very helpful before and during chemotherapy. It is known to help stabilize the white blood cell count and improve energy. Take 250 to 500 milligrams twice a day, in morning and afternoon. Ginger root tea is excellent for helping to minimize nausea associated with chemotherapy. Take a cup of ginger tea two to three times daily, as needed. Green tea has antioxidant properties and protects cells.
- Smart Medicine for Healthier Living : Practical A-Z Reference to Natural and Conventional Treatments for Adults by Janet Zand, LAc, OMD, Allan N. Spreed, MD, CNC, James B. LaValle, RPh, ND
- Available on Amazon.com


If I were fighting breast cancer, for example, I would take green tea supplements. Superfoods are also an excellent idea if there are no specific health issues you are battling. Give these about 20 to 30 minutes to be digested and start circulating through the blood. Take the niacin in order to activate the niacin flush. I strongly advise that you start with a very small dose to experience a niacin flush. A small dose would be something like 25 to 50 mg. You don't want to overdo the flush because it can be quite annoying if you're tingling and itching like crazy for 30 minutes.
- Natural Health Solutions by Mike Adams
- Available on Amazon.com


Landmark studies have discovered that cruciferous vegetables are a formidable dietary deterrent to breast cancer, and offer protection against colon and lung cancer as well. Crucifers possess at least three compounds that are likely to be cancer suppressing. One of the most striking substances is the indole-3-carbinol, which powerfully boosts the estrogen C-2 pathway. Green tea and licorice root have also been shown to favor the cancer-zapping C-2 pathway. Certain plant chemicals may forcibly stifle cancer by altering hormone metabolism.
- Eat To Beat Cancer: A Research Scientist Explains How You and Your Family Can Avoid Up to 90% of All Cancers by J. Robert Hatherill
- Available on Amazon.com


Examples are the cancer-fighting indoles present in the cabbage family vegetables like Brussels sprouts and kale; natural phyto-estrogens in soybeans and other legumes, which prevent breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men; and polyphenols found in berries and green tea, which may combat heart disease as well as cancer. Carotenoids, which rev up the detoxification pathways that prevent cancers, are found in most fruits and vegetables, including parsley, carrots, citrus fruits, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, squash, yams, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, soy products, and berries.
- Intelligent Medicine: A Guide to Optimizing Health and Preventing Illness for the Baby-Boomer Generation by Ronald L. Hoffman, M.D.
- Available on Amazon.com


It is the EGCG fraction of green tea that makes it a potentially effective adjunct therapy in the treatment of breast cancer. In vivo studies have shown green tea extracts to have the following actions on human cancer cells (Jung et al. 2001b): Inhibition of tumor growth by 58%, Inhibition of activation of nucleat factor-kappa beta (Muraoka et al. 2002), Inhibition of microvessel density by 30%, Inhibition of tumor-cell proliferation by 27%
- Disease Prevention and Treatment by The Life Extension Editorial Staff
- Available on Amazon.com


There is no mortal danger when breast cancer remains within the breast. Certain hyaluronidase inhibitors completely block hyaluronidase and angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation). A report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says "a number of hyaluronidase inhibitors are readily available." [Proceedings National Academy Sciences 93: 7832-37, 1996] For example, a very low dose of green tea bioflavonoids provided in drinking water has been shown to prevent the growth and spread of colon cancer in rodents.
- You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore by Bill Sardi
- Available on Amazon.com


A new study on turmeric administered in the diet or applied topically has shown a significant chemoprotective effect on oral precancerous lesions. In addition, another study involving the chemopreventive effects of curcumin derived from turmeric along with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) from green tea has shown that the combination of these naturally occurring botanical constituents demonstrates synergistic interaction in inhibiting growth of squamous cell carcinoma.
- Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer: A Comprehensive Program for Prevention and Treatment by Donald R. Yance, j r.,C.N., M.H., A.H.G., with Arlene Valentine
- Available on Amazon.com