There have been a number of studies over the past several years regarding the beneficial effect of green tea and its active component ECGC for cancer prevention and possibly for treatment as well. A new study published in the journal Metabolomics, showed the mechanism by which ECGC disrupts the metabolism of cancer cells in pancreatic cancer. These findings helps to explain green tea’s help in reducing the risk of some cancers and even slowing its progression when used as a treatment. This study found that ECGC suppresses an enzyme called LDHA which is crucial in cancer cell’s metabolism and growth. As a mechanism of treatment of cancer this would be a unique way of fighting cancer and open up new avenues for research.
The studies’ lead researcher Dr. Wai-Nang Lee of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute states, “By explaining how green tea’s active component could prevent cancer, this study will open the door to a whole new area of cancer research and help us understand how other foods can prevent cancer or slow the growth of cancerous cells. Now we understand how cancer cell metabolism can be disrupted, and we can examine how we can use this knowledge to try to alter the course of cancer or prevent cancer.” One can only hope that this research into a natural substance will be afforded the research dollars needed to advance our knowledge of this potentially life saving substance. Green tea has been shown to have other benefits as per our last blog on the subject.
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