13 replies to this topic

[Live Forever]

http://www.greenteat...th-blood-cancer

"Green Tea extract shows positive signs for people with blood cancer"

Looks like (according to the article) it improved white blood cell counts, kept lymph node swelling down, etc.

[thumb]

[zoolander]

In addition to your link liveforever22...

in 2006, JOurnal: Leukemia Research

Clinical effects of oral green tea extracts in four patients with low grade B-cell malignancies.

Shanafelt TD, Lee YK, Call TG, Nowakowski GS, Dingli D, Zent CS, Kay NE.

Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.

Green tea or its constituents have long been touted as a health promoting substance including claims it may have cancer prevention properties. We previously reported the in vitro ability of one tea polyphenol, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), to induce apoptotic cell death in the leukemic B-cells from a majority of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). After the publication of our findings many patients with CLL and other low grade lymphomas began using over-the-counter products containing tea polyphenols despite the absence of evidence to suggest clinical benefit, definition of possible toxicities, or information on optimal dose and schedule. We have become aware of four patients with low grade B-cell malignancies seen in our clinical practice at Mayo Clinic who began, on their own initiative, oral ingestion of EGCG containing products and subsequently appeared to have an objective clinical response. Three of these four patients met criteria for partial response (PR) by standard response criteria. Although spontaneous remission/regression is occasionally observed in individuals with low grade B-cell malignancies, such events are rare. Several patients presented here had documented steady clinical, laboratory, and/or radiographic evidence of progression immediately prior to initiation of over-the-counter green tea products and then developed objective responses shortly after self-initiating this therapy. Such anecdotes highlight the need for clinical trials of tea polyphenols to define the optimal dosing, schedule, toxicities, and clinical efficacy before widespread use can be recommended. An NCI sponsored phase I/II trial of de-caffeinated green tea extracts for patients with asymptomatic, early stage CLL opened at Mayo Clinic in August 2005.

PMID: 16325256 [PubMed - in process]

Also, in 2005, journal: Cancer Letters

Induction of apoptosis in human leukemia cells by black tea and its polyphenol theaflavin.

Kundu T, Dey S, Roy M, Siddiqi M, Bhattacharya RK.

Department of Environmental Carcinogenesis and Toxicology, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, 37 S.P. Mukherjee Road, Kolkata 700 026, India.

Treatment of human leukemic cell lines HL-60 and K-562 with extracts of green and black tea and their polyphenols epigallocatechin gallate and theaflavins, respectively, showed a dose dependent inhibition of growth as a result of cytotoxicity and suppression of cell proliferation. Based on the IC50 values obtained from cytotoxicity data it was clearly evident that black tea was as efficient as green tea. Analysis of polyphenol contents of tea extracts revealed that not only epigallocatechin gallate, which is a predominant polyphenol of green tea, but also theaflavin that is abundantly present in black tea affords significant chemotherapeutic action by imparting cytotoxicity to human leukemic cells. Electrophoretic analysis of fragmented DNA from treated cells displayed characteristic ladder pattern. Flow cytometric analysis revealed the dose dependent increase in sub-G1 peak. These criteria confirmed that cytotoxic activity of green and black tea was due to induction of apoptosis. Such induction was found to be mediated through activation of caspases 3 and 8, particularly caspase 3 and by altering apoptosis related genes as evident by down-regulation of Bcl-2 and up-regulation of Bax proteins.

Essentially the above paper is stating that black and green Tea polyphenols are pro-apoptosis and promote cell death in cancer cell lines. Promotion of apoptosis is done by changing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio. With Bcl-2 being anti-apoptotic and Bax being pro-apoptotic.

Results in the above study show that tea polyphenols are involved in the regulation of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins in leukemic cell lines but not are not involved in the healthy white blood cells. They state that this is possibly due to the difference in genetic programming found in normal and tumour cells.

Other supplements proposed to work in a very similar fashion as mentioned above by down-regulating Bcl-2 genes are curcumin and resveratrol.

Its great to see that compounds can selectively attack cancer cell lines on one hand and on the other protect normal cell lines by minimising free radical damage.

[DukeNukem]

So, let us suppose you (anyone reading this) had serious cancer, regardless of type. Would you mega-dose on green tea extract? Say 3-5 grams per day? Any other supplements you'd immediately start taking?

[lunarsolarpower]

Any other supplements you'd immediately start taking?

I might check out some Scutellaria barbata.

It's kind of funny, that page mentions something called Duke's Database.

[zoolander]

You really have to be careful when refering to white blood cell cancer. The last thing you want is to promote the growth of the white blood cells.

Additionally, I would be careful of taking anything whilst going through chemotherapy. Some supplements could perhaps dilute the effects of the chemo as well as cause adverse reactions

The use of dietary supplements in a community hospital comprehensive cancer center: implications for conventional cancer care.

Gupta D, Lis CG, Birdsall TC, Grutsch JF.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center, Zion, IL, USA. digant.gupta@mrmc-ctca.com

GOALS OF WORK: There is little data on the prevalence of use of dietary supplements in cancer, especially in light of the growing evidence that some dietary supplements can have adverse interactions with conventional cancer treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of dietary supplements among adult cancer patients in a community hospital comprehensive cancer center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A survey of 227 new adult cancer patients presenting for treatment for the first time at Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Midwestern Regional Medical Center, between November 2001 and October 2003. Patients completed the McCune Questionnaire, a validated instrument that captures information on the use of 56 dietary supplements in cancer, at admission to the hospital. RESULTS: Of the 227 patients, 73% used some form of dietary supplements during the 30 day period before the survey was conducted. Dietary supplement use was significantly higher (p = 0.04) in patients with colorectal (80%) and breast (75%) cancer as compared to patients with lung cancer (53%). Patients with stage II (86%) and III (76%) disease at diagnosis were more likely (p = 0.02) to use dietary supplements as compared to those with stage I (71%) disease at diagnosis, while those with stage IV (61%) disease at diagnosis were least likely to use them. Of the 80 patients who had received chemotherapy within the last 30 days, 71% had also used dietary supplements in that timeframe and 25% had consumed one or more herbal therapies that are suspected to have adverse interactions with chemotherapy. Of the 57 patients combining chemotherapy with dietary supplements, 52.6% did not consult a healthcare professional. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, twenty-five percent of patients receiving chemotherapy were concurrently using dietary supplements suspected to have adverse interactions with chemotherapy, usually relying on information sources other than healthcare professionals. Given the prevalence rates of these agents, healthcare providers should systematically inquire about them, and consider the potential for drug-dietary supplement interactions in treatment planning.

PMID: 15856334 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Isolating what contributed to the cancer and correcting that with diet, supplements and/or exercise is the first step.

For example, Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas (NHL) are said to result from immunodeficiency. The immunodeficiency could be caused by one of many things: Obesity, malnutrition, lack of physical activity and so on. Increasing the chances of survival then with NHL diagnosis would entail losing weight and acheiving optimum BMI, increase dietary compounds known to increase immune response (some examples, Linolenic acid, Fish oils and protein powder) and becoming more physically active to stimulate exercise-induced immune response.

Most importantly, I would advise my oncologist about the supplements that I was taking and about the supplements I was thinking of taking. If he questioned what I was taking I would ask for an explanation. In the case of my friend who was diagnosed recently, I went with him to the hospital and presented the oncologist with research papers to back up my recommendations.

Has anyone else had experinace with white blood cell cancers and dietary supplements?

[stellar]

Most importantly, I would advise my oncologist about the supplements that I was taking and  about the supplements I was thinking of taking. If he questioned what I was taking I would ask for an explanation. In the case of my friend who was diagnosed recently, I went with him to the hospital and presented the oncologist with research papers to back up my recommendations.

Please elaborate on your experience with the oncologist. Was he/she receptive to your recommendations?

[doug123]

Sorry to go off topic: but what's UP stellar, dude? You are the best. You did a good job kicking my ass when I was being a loon last summer. You were right -- too much dopamine sent me off the edge. Peace, Adam.

[doug123]

Study touts benefits of white tea over green tea
From the Huntington Herald Dispatch, WV

Many tea drinkers are familiar with the potential health benefits of green tea, but have you tried white tea?

According to a study done by the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center at Oregon State, white tea contains a higher proportion of buds, which are covered with fine, silvery hairs that impart a light white/grey color to the tea. White tea brews to a pale yellow/light red color, and has a slightly sweet flavor with no grassy undertones sometimes associated with green tea.

Researchers at the LPI tested four types of white tea for their ability to inhibit mutations in bacteria, and subsequently examined the protective properties in a rat colon cancer model. In the former studies using bacteria, white teas were generally more effective than green tea in inhibiting mutations.

Paula Peatross, clinical dietitian with St. Mary's Medical Center, said some teas can be high in vitamin K and that all teas contain tannins. They are a component of tea that helps prevent cancer-causing agents from binding to target sites.

"Green tea is also high in antioxidants," Peatross said. "Antioxidants can help protect the cell membranes."

http://www.herald-di...60313/1001/NEWS

Note: Green tea has many health benefits, contains valuable polyphenols and is a great supplement (and drink). Just thought it was of interest that white tea may have other positive health effects also.

[zoolander]

The oncologist was fairly receptive. He was fairly young as well.

[stellar]

Sorry to go off topic: but what's UP stellar, dude? You are the best. You did a good job kicking my ass when I was being a loon last summer. You were right -- too much dopamine sent me off the edge. Peace, Adam.

It's all water under the bridge at this point, Adam. [thumb]

[doug123]

It's all water under the bridge at this point, Adam.  [thumb]

Well -- let me know if you see me all delusional again like that, dude. You guys were right on last time -- I wish I listened and wasn't being such a stubborn smart ass. Everything was all codes for a whle and it was pretty freaky.

Back to green tea. Peace.

[FunkOdyssey]

For anyone who can't decide whether to go green or white, as the health benefits for both are so compelling, check out Fusion Green & White Tea by Stash Tea Company. I'm drinking this exclusively now, not only for the taste and the novel blend, but because its fun to tell people I'm "dipping into my Stash".

[Shepard]

New Chapter has a green & white tea extract. Duke also once posted a link to pre-bottled green & white tea. I think it was Teas' Tea.

[xanadu]

Isn't green, white and black tea all the same plant? I think the green vs white controversy will rage for quite some time. Black tea is supposed to be good also. I think I heard that green was less fermented than black. The fermentation may have destroyed some of the goodies. I take a cap of green tea extract every day.