Green Tea And Gold Compound 'Could Treat Prostate Cancer' Says Study | HuffPost Life

Green Tea Compound - The Latest Prostate Cancer Treatment?

Kyrsty Hazell— PA/The Huffington Post UK

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An unlikely therapy derived from green tea and gold can successfully treat prostate cancer, a study has shown.

Scientists used a compound found in green tea to deliver tiny particles of radioactive gold dust to cancer sites.

The early research, conducted in mice, showed that the treatment shrank tumours by 80%.

Green tea compounds 'could treat prostate cancer'

Further studies are now planned on dogs with prostate cancer before moving on to human trials.

Lead scientist Professor Kattesh Katti, from the University of Missouri in the US, said: "In our study, we found that a special compound in tea was attracted to tumour cells in the prostate.

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"When we combined the tea compound with radioactive gold nanoparticles, the tea compound helped 'deliver' the nanoparticles to the site of the tumours and the nanoparticles destroyed the tumour cells very efficiently."

The research is reported today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Scientists believe it could pave the way to new and more effective treatments for patients with aggressive, spreading prostate cancer.

Each year around 41,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK and just under 11,000 die from the disease.

The injected gold nanoparticles are just the right size to destroy tumours by zapping them with radiation while not harming surrounding healthy tissue.

Health Benefits (And Pitfalls) Of Warm Drinks

Green Tea(01 of05)

Green tea, which is made of unfermented tea leaves, is healthy because it contains high amounts of antioxidants that are called polyphenols, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Antioxidants are known to take up compounds called "free radicals" -- which the body produces naturally and acquires through the environment -- that can cause cell damage. Studies have shown that drinking three cups of green tea a day can decrease heart attack rate by 11 percent, and that it can also raise levels of "good" HDL cholesterol, UMMC reported. Other research has linked drinking green tea with lower levels of bladder, breast and colorectal cancer. HuffPost blogger and integrative medicine expert Dr. Andrew Weil wrote in a blog entry last year:"Studies either strongly suggest or confirm that the antioxidants in green tea can reduce LDL cholesterol, promote fat burning, reduce the risk of several forms of cancer and alleviate depression. But tea is much more than the healthful compounds in it. It is an experience, and for me, a personal story of discovery that continues to this day." (credit:Alamy)

Black Tea(02 of05)

Black tea -- which includes earl grey or English breakfast -- also has antioxidants that can protect the body from the effects of free radicals, Beauvais said. Unlike green tea leaves, black tea leaves are fermented or crushed. Some people might think that green tea is actually healthier than black tea, but WebMD reported that both actually contain the same amuont of antioxidant polyphenols. "We found that both [green and black] types of tea blocked DNA damage associated with tobacco and other toxic chemicals. In animal studies, tea-drinking rats have less cancer," tea expert John Weisburger, PhD, of the Institute for Cancer Prevention, told WebMD. BBC News also reported in 2006 that regularly drinking black tea could lower levels of the stress hormon cortisol. Beauvais added that tea itself has no calories, but when you start adding sugar, cream, half and half and honey to the beverage, that can easily ratchet up the calorie count. (credit:alamy)

Coffee(03 of05)

Just like tea, coffee also contains cell-protective antioxidants, Beauvais said. Coffee has been mostly shown to decrease the risk of certain cancers -- drinking six cups of coffee a day has been shown to slash prostate cancer risk and drinking five or more cups of coffee a day has been shown to reduce breast cancer risk. But other research suggests that drinking at least two cups of coffee a day can increase lung cancer risk. Coffee is currently considered a "possible carcinogen" by the World Health Organization, the same classification given to cell phones.Harvard University reported that caffeinated coffee also has protective effects against diabetes and gallstones. But is there such thing as too much caffeine from coffee?There is, but you would have to drink an incredible amount of coffee to get the caffeine levels that are toxic, Beauvais said. In addition, the Mayo Clinic reports that too much caffeine from coffee can also cause problems with sleep and anxiety. And nutrition wise, Beauvais warns that adding cream, sugar and flavorings to coffee can quickly hike up the calorie count. Instead, she suggests putting skim milk or sugar-free syrups into the coffee for flavoring. (credit:Getty)

Apple Cider(04 of05)

We should put apple cider somewhere on the same level as fruit juices -- better for you than sodas, and they also have nutritional benefits from the fruit, but they still contain a lot of sugar, Beauvais said. "Cider is made from the whole fruit of the apple," Beauvais told HuffPost, so "there's vitamin C in the apples, there's even a little bit of iron, potassium, without putting anything in there." Cider has more calories than tea or coffee (assuming you don't add creams or sugars to those beverages!), so it's important to monitor portion sizes, she said.The sugar in apple cider depends on the blend of apples used in the drink, so make sure to check the nutritional information before pouring yourself a glass, she added. (credit:alamy)

Hot Chocolate(05 of05)

Hot chocolate doesn't have to be the calorie bomb and nutritional nightmare as it's sometimes made out to be, Beauvais said. If you make it at home, using skim milk is a good way to cut fat and calories from the drink. And the milk is also a good source of protein, she added. "If you make it at home, with your own chocolate syrup and skim milk, it's going to be lower in fat and calories," Beauvais said. Chocolate compounds called polyphenols have also been shown in research to have some heart-healthy benefits (though, of course, it's important that chocolate only be eaten in moderation). (credit:alamy)

With a half-life of 2.7 days, their radioactivity is depleted within around three weeks.

The green tea compound used to deliver the gold particles is called epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCg), a powerful antioxidant.

EGCg has been shown in laboratory tests to have anti-cancer properties. It naturally targets and latches on to a protein found on the surface of prostate cancer cells.

The new therapy agent was created by joining together radioactive gold nanoparticles and molecules of EGCg.

Co-author Dr Cathy Cutler, also from the University of Missouri, said: "Current therapy for this disease is not effective in those patients who have aggressive prostate cancer tumours.

"Most of the time, prostate cancers are slow-growing; the disease remains localised and it is easily managed. Aggressive forms of the disease spread to other parts of the body, and it is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in US men. However, we believe the gold nanoparticles could shrink the tumours, both those that are slow-growing and aggressive, or eliminate them completely."

Prostate Cancer Breakthroughs

Breakthrough Prostate Cancer Drug 'Could Be Available By Christmas'(01 of04)

A powerful drug proven to stop prostate cancer spreading to other organs could be available by Christmas this year, reports suggest.The Enzalutamide drug, which would be taken once-a-day, has been found to significantly extend the lives of prostate cancer patients by up to 18 months.Drugs company Astellas has submitted an application asking for the permission from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to bring the drug to market.Read the full story here. (credit:Alamy)

Seven Cups A Day' Could Double Risk Of Prostate Cancer(02 of04)

Drinking large amounts of tea could increase the risk of prostate cancer, research has shown.Scientists found that more than seven cups a day raised the chances of men developing the disease by 50%.But whether the link is causal or due to coincidence is still unknown.Read the full story here. (credit:Alamy)

New Soundwave 'Focal Therapy' That Could 'Zap' Out Prostate Cancer(03 of04)

A new prostate cancer treatment could provide more effective treatment with fewer side effects according to a new report.Read the full story here. (credit:Alamy)

Why 4,000 Men Get Prostate Cancer A Year(04 of04)

According to the latest figures from Cancer Research UK, the number of men with prostate cancer in the UK has risen to 40,000, compared to just 14,000 two decades earlier in 1989.Read the full story here. (credit:Alamy)

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