Dr. Tom Creo, pathologist in the profoundly moving film The Fountain says “Death is a disease, and there’s a cure, and I will find it” while at the funeral of his wife who died of cancer. His struggle to find a cure for the disease and his motivations are what orbit the entire film from start to finish. Recent research has shown that a familiar character has reemerged as a real player in the quest for a cure for cancer – green tea. According to the Cancer Prevention Research journal, scientists have found that green tea can cause a significant fall in certain markers which indicate cancer development.
In this study, researchers tested a compound called Polyphenon E. According to the BBC, “they were looking for a number of biomarkers – molecules – including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) which are indicators of developing cancer. They also looked for prostate specific antigen (PSA) – a protein only found in the prostate. Levels can rise if cancer is present.”
The study tested 26 men between 41 and 72 years of age, all of which were diagnosed with prostate cancer. These patients took four capsules for 34 days, up until the day before surgery. The study produced findings which indicated that some patients’ levels of HGF dropped by more than 30%. Researchers stated that the compound may have the ability to reduce the progression of prostate cancer, if not reduce the risk of it.
This news stands in the face of the FDA’s claim in 2005 that “there is no credible evidence to support qualified health claims for green tea consumption and a reduced risk of gastric, lung, colon/rectal, esophageal, pancreatic, ovarian, and combined cancers. Thus, FDA is denying these claims. However, FDA concludes that there is very limited credible evidence for qualified health claims specifically for green tea and breast cancer and for green tea and prostate cancer, provided that the qualified claims are appropriately worded so as to not mislead consumers.”
No matter what, green tea has been linked to positively effecting resistance to heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, as well as high blood pressure. Although there is no conclusive evidence yet for the cancer fighting effects of green tea, the positive outcome of this most recent test make patients and doctors alike feel confident that cancer is a disease that green tea may actually crack. If you are interested in this type of research or other nutrition related fields, take a look at the opportunities available at topcolleges.com.