Green Tea Found to Slow Prostate Cancer Growth

Researchers from University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that a component of green tea, combined with low doses of Pfizer’s COX-2 inhibitor Celebrex, could slow the spread of human prostate cancer.

Researchers have previously shown COX-2 inhibitors like Celebrex, known under the generic name celecoxib, suppress prostate cancer in animal models.

In 2004, scientists demonstrated that a green tea polyphenol called pigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has cancer-fighting abilities of its own. Their study showed that EGCG can modulate the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-driven molecular pathway in a mouse model for human prostate cancer, pushing the cells toward programmed cell death.

In this latest research, the team used celecoxib and an oral suspension of the decaffeinated green tea polyphenol, in mouse models of prostate cancer. By using pharmacy-grade celecoxib and actual tea, they hoped to replicate real-life conditions.

In mice that were not treated with either substance, the tumor volume averaged 1,300 cubic millimeters, whereas mice given either the tea or celecoxib had tumors averaging 835 cubic millimeters and 650 cubic millimeters, respectively. Tumors taken from mice given both agents, however, measured on average a volume of 350 cubic millimeters.

Mice that received a combination of green tea and celecoxib also registered a greater decrease in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels compared to that in celecoxib alone or green tea alone.

“If tests in human trials replicate these results, we could see a powerful combined therapy that is both simple to administer and relatively cost effective,” said Hasan Mukhtar, professor of dermatology at the University of Wisconsin.