Green Tea for the Prevention of Breast Cancer

Abstract

The potential of polyphenols to prevent and treat cancer has been extensively studied in human cancer cells, where multiple polyphenols have been found to prevent, inhibit, and activate autophagy and apoptosis in human cells of various cancers. However, this relation between polyphenols and treating cancer has been studied substantially less in human patients. Although there are numerous observational, case-control, and cohort studies investigating anti-cancer polyphenol effects, few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been conducted to assess the true anticancer effect of polyphenols in preventing and treating cancer. In fact, some evidence suggests that polyphenols may interact negatively in human cancer patients by conflicting with their prescription cancer medication. Despite this, most US cancer patients still use dietary supplements to aid in their recovery, many of which include polyphenols. Therefore, the true anticancer effect of polyphenols must be identified. In this meta-analysis, we analyze eligible RCTs that demonstrate the effects of green tea, a popular dietary supplement, on risk factors of breast cancer (blood pressure, weight, IGF-1, and mammographic density). After thorough analysis, we find that green tea has a modest effect in preventing breast cancer by impacting these breast cancer risk factors.