Is the National Cancer Institute (NCI) evaluating tea?
NCI researchers are also investigating the therapeutic use of green tea. One recently completed but unpublished NCI trial studied the antitumor effect of green tea among prostate cancer patients. The 42 patients drank 6 grams of green tea, or about 4 cups, daily for 4 months. However, only one patient experienced a short-lived improvement, and nearly 70 percent of the group experienced unpleasant side effects such as nausea and diarrhea. The study concluded that drinking green tea has limited antitumor benefit for prostate cancer patients (5). Other ongoing NCI studies are testing green tea as a preventive agent against skin cancer. For example, one is investigating the protective effects of a pill form of green tea against sun-induced skin damage, while another explores the topical application of green tea in shrinking precancerous skin changes. For more information about NCI-sponsored studies on green tea, go to http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/ on the Internet.
