Combination of green tea and COX-2 inhibitor fights prostate cancer

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Green tea together with a COX-2 inhibitor slows down the growth of prostate cancer, according to new experiments.
Green tea has long been promoted for its health benefits. Now researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison present research that suggests green tea may help beat prostate cancer. They worked with cell cultures and mice genetically-modified to develop prostate cancer and dosed them with celecoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor, and a compound from green tea called EGCG. Alone, both substances slowed the rate of cancer cell growth; in combination they suppressed cell growth by an extra 15 to 28 per cent.

In terms of tumor volume, that of mice given neither substance was an average of 1,300 cubic millimeters. In those given green tea or celecoxib alone, tumor volumes were 835 and 650 cubic millimeters, on average. But the tumor size of those given a combination of green tea and celecoxib was only 350 cubic millimeters. Those on the combination also had lower levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a marker of prostate cancer, than those given either substance alone. The researchers believe that celecoxib helps promote the death of cancer cells and the EGCG component of green tea probably blocks cancer cells by a different mechanism. Using green tea as an additive may allow lower doses of celecoxib, which has side effects, to be used.

Source
Clinical Cancer Research 1st March 2007

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