Study: Compounds in Green Tea May Protect Against Breast Cancer

Compounds found in green tea may offer some protection from the development of breast cancer, according to researchers from Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health.

Researchers compared breast cancer development in 2 groups of female rats and found that rats given green tea developed tumors later than the rats given water. The rats given green tea also had a 70 percent reduction in tumor weight and had less invasive cancers compared to the rats given water, according to the study published in Journal of Cellular Biochemistry.

The incidence of breast cancer in regions of the world where green tea is consumed in large quantities, primarily China and Japan, is much lower than in western societies, according to the researchers.

"There are, of course, many dietary and other differences to be examined, but green tea is considered one of the prime candidates to account for this difference," said Dr. Gail Sonenshein, professor of biochemistry at B.U. and co-author of the study. "Although we don't believe green tea by itself will prevent breast cancer, it may prove beneficial when used in combination with other dietary factors."

Other sources: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, Boston University