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People began to suspect that green tea had anticancer properties when they realized that Chinese people generally have less cancer (especially breast cancer) than most Westerners. When you are in China you see traditional people from the countryside carrying bottles of green tea the way Westerners carry soda. As scientists investigated further, they found that green tea (the unfermented form of Camilla sinensis, which is more familiar to Westerners as black tea) contains compounds called polyphenols, including one called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). There has been a lot of speculation and laboratory studies on the antioxidant and anticancer properties of EGCG, but little clinical work.
All that is changing. The good news on green tea continues to be positive. There was recently a small clinical trial of Polyphenon E®, a standardized form of EGCG, which showed surprisingly strong effects on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The study was published in August in, of all things, the very orthodox Journal of Clinical Oncology (Shanafelt 2009). This summer the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Polyphenon Pharma of New York City "orphan drug status" for Polyphenon E® in the treatment of CLL. This gives the company seven years of marketing exclusivity for the product. It brings Polyphenon one step closer to formal drug approval.
CLL is a kind of leukemia found most frequently in older individuals. It is characterized by an excess of lymphocytes (a kind of white blood cell). As the name implies, it is a slower growing form of blood cancer than the acute or pediatric forms of the disease. While patients generally survive a long time with CLL, ironically it is also less curable than some of the more aggressive forms of the disease. The recent article, authored by T.D. Shannafelt and a dozen or so coworkers at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, concerned 33 patients who were treated with one of eight different dose levels of EGCG. These ranged from 400 to 2,000 mg of EGCG, taken twice per day. One of the patients experienced a partial remission of cancer. Also, within one month of starting treatment, 11 patient (33 percent) had a sustained 20 percent of greater decrease in their lymphocyte count. Eleven out of 12 patients who had palpable lymph nodes experienced a reduction of at least 50 percent in the size of these nodes during this brief course of treatment.
The adverse effects were minimal and nothing like what is seen with most chemotherapy. The most frequent side effect (in 33 percent) was a mild case of transaminitis, a condition that indicates stress to the liver. There was mild abdominal pain in 30 percent, and mild nausea in about half the patients. (As mentioned in a previous newsletter, nausea might be managed by either Sea-Bands® or a strong ginger brew, either a home-made tea or a commercially available ginger beer.)
A phase two trial of Polyphenon E® in CLL is now underway. In this trial, all test subjects will get the top dose of Polyphenon E, which is 2,000 mg twice per day. For those who cannot wait for the FDA to approve this product (and, based on past experience, the process could take years), well, EGCG is available in the market. The trouble is that most brands contain 250 to 400 mg per capsule. Thus one would need to take 10 to 16 capsules per day to reach what is apparently the optimum dose. Given the fact that there were some adverse effects in some of the cases I would strongly suggest that you only do this under the guidance of a CAM-oriented physician. For those looking to prevent CLL, as well as other forms of cancer, enjoying a variety of organic green tea products daily might be just the ticket.
--Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D.
References:
Shanafelt TD, Call TG, Zent CS,et al., Phase I trial of daily oral Polyphenon E in patients with asymptomatic Rai stage 0 to II chronic lymphocytic leukemia. J Clin Oncol. 2009;27:3808-3814.
To check out my latest Current Topic report, 'German New Medicine®'-Hope or Hoax, click here.
Written Moss Reports
We offer written up-to-date Moss Reports on over 200 different cancer diagnoses. Each report costs $297.00, which includes periodic updates. These reports cover, in a comprehensive manner, the best conventional, alternative and complementary approaches to each diagnosis. The Moss Reports can be accessed around-the-clock at our Web site, www.cancerdecisions.com, and can be ordered either for instantaneous electronic delivery or (at an extra cost) can also be printed and shipped. For more information see our Web site or call Anne or Jacquie at 800-980-1234 (814-238-3367).
Phone Consultations
Ralph Moss does phone consultations for clients who have previously ordered one of our comprehensive Moss Reports on their cancer. The following is from a client who recently had a phone consultation:
"I have been following Dr. Moss on "CancerDecisions.Com" and receiving his email updates practically since its inception. As a former hospital adminstrator who appreciates Dr. Moss' knowledge and high ethical standards, it was a natural progression for me to obtain his treatise on invasive carcinoma of the breast immediately after being diagnosed. I began reading before my lumpectomy, and continued till I'd gone over the very detailed and extensive information about 5 times. My husband and I then arranged for a phone consultation with Dr. Moss, which proved to be invaluable. He was able to make specific suggestions about certain doctors, clinics, and CAM therapies that have proven invaluable. Thanks to him, I have been able to sort through much of the misleading statistical information that was thrown at me by various practitioners (for example, radiologists) "pushing" their particular type of therapy. I would most heartily recommend a consultation with Dr. Moss for anyone trying to decide upon a treatment path to follow." -- C.M., South Carolina, August 23, 2009.
If you would like to set up a phone consultation (or have already done one and want to arrange a follow-up), please contact Ralph's assistant, Jacquie Johnson. Her phone number is 814-466-6514. You can usually reach her during normal EST business hours. If you get an answering machine, leave a message and she will call you back promptly. Or you can reach her at
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Where to Go? - CAM Resources in Selected Metropolitan Regions
The Where To Go? series continues to attract favorable reviews from readers. Already available are Where To Go? - Germany (Complementary And Alternative (CAM) Cancer Treatments In Germany), Where To Go? - Houston, Where To Go? - Philadelphia, Where To Go? - Chicago and Where To Go? - Boston. These reports offer useful information on regional availability of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
For more information, or to purchase any of these reports, please click here.
Cancer Decisions® & Current Topics Reports
Reports in our Cancer Decisions© series are designed to provide readers with the detailed information they need in order to make difficult treatment decisions. Currently available are:
These reports can be purchased and downloaded from our Web site, by clicking here.
OR...Please visit our Web site at www.cancerdecisions.com and click on the blue Radiation Reports button.
For a list of our Current Topics reports on issues of interest in the field of cancer research and treatment please click here.
OR...Please visit our Web site at www.cancerdecisions.com and click on the blue Current Topics button.
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