Green Tea Reduces GI Cancer Risk

Green tea contains polyphenols including catechins, that have antioxidant properties and for which some studies suggest a beneficial effect on cancer by reducing DNA damage and blocking tumor cell growth and invasion. Sarah Nechuta, from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (Tennessee, USA), and colleagues  surveyed women enrolled in the Shanghai Women’s Health Study, a population-based study of approximately 75,000 middle-aged and older Chinese women. During the initial interview participants were asked if they drank tea, the type of tea consumed and how much they consumed. Most of the Chinese women reported drinking primarily green tea.  The researchers found that regular tea consumption – defined as tea consumption at least three times a week for more than six months, was associated with a 17% reduced risk of all digestive cancers combined. A further reduction in risk was found to be associated with an increased level of tea drinking: those who consumed about two to three cups per day (at least 150 grams of tea per month) had a 21% reduced risk of digestive system cancers.  The trend toward fewer digestive cancers was strongest for stomach/esophageal and colorectal cancers, with the latter risk reduced by 29% among the long-term tea drinkers.