Green Tea Extract Helps Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

The Mayo Clinic has just completed a phase II clinical trial that proves that the biologically active extract of green tea (epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG¹) slows down cancer in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia Most common type of chronic leukemia. It is a type of cancer that affects white blood cells. (CLL).  CLL is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, specifically affecting white blood cells of the immune system.  Since cells of your immune system are your major defense against cancer, this is a bit of a dilemma.  Results from 41 patients who have completed the study show that 31 percent of patients had a 20 percent or greater sustained reduction in blood leukemia count, and 69 percent of patients with enlarged lymph nodes saw a reduction of node size of 50 percent or greater.

CLL is somewhat interesting as it is often managed by observation until it progresses to a more extreme level.  The Mayo Clinic research was conducted on patients in this less severe category.  “These studies advance the notion that a nutraceutical Food or food product which may have beneficial effects on human health. like EGCG can and should be studied as cancer preventives,” says Neil Kay, M.D., a hematology researcher whose laboratory first tested the green tea extract in leukemic blood cells from CLL patients. “Using nontoxic chemicals to push back cancer growth to delay the need for toxic therapies is a worthy goal in oncology research—particularly for forms of cancer initially managed by observation such as CLL.”

EGCG, like many other anti-cancer nutrients and unlike most toxic cancer drugs, has the unique ability to protect healthy cells while killing cancer cells.  This unique ability to tell friend from foe is a testament to the power of human evolution and part of the great promise of dietary supplements to be highly supportive of human health.  EGCG, like curcumin, gamma tocotrienol Specialized form of vitamin E. Powerful antioxidant showing positive benefits for cholesterol, cardiovascular, neurological health and cancer risk reduction., and quercetin, is an anti-cancer compound of the finest quality.  While no person should rely on nutrients as the sole treatment for an active diseases; their virtually non-existent level of toxicity makes them ideal choices for prevention, including prevention of a recurring problem, along with part of a comprehensive plan to be used in conjunction with medical care. 

I have recently written on the subject of green tea and how it can help your metabolism, as well as studies showing that it can also help prevent stroke² as well as the amount of damage from stroke³.