Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Study Shows Green Tea Extract Shrinks Tumors


According to an article recently published in the journal Nanomedicine, a laboratory study at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, showed that 40% of human skin cancer tumors disappeared using a compound based on green tea.

The compound, called epigallocatechin gallate, is an extract from green tea leaves. In the laboratory study, 40% of tumors disappeared after a month of treatment, while an additional 30% of tumors shrank.

Previous attempts to take advantage of the anti-cancer properties of green tea were based on IV drips, which didn’t deliver a high enough concentration of the extract to the actual tumors. In the Strathclyde study, a targeted delivery system was created, which piggybacked the extract with proteins that contained iron molecules. Apparently, this was the magic bullet.  

Although clinical trials on humans may be several years in the offing, Dr. Christine Dufes, a senior lecturer at the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, and research leader, had this to say, "This research could open doors to new treatments for what is still one of the biggest killer diseases in many countries. With the targeted delivery system, it's taken straight to the tumours without any effect on normal tissue. When we used our method, the green tea extract reduced the size of many of the tumours every day, in some cases removing them altogether. These are very encouraging results, which we hope could pave the way for new and effective cancer treatments.”

Here in Atlanta, skin cancer is fairly common. We get plenty of sun and people love to be out in it. Although there are various treatments for skin cancer, the best "treatment" is to avoid it in the first place through the use of high SPF creams and even cosmetics. Come into my plastic surgery office in Atlanta and get some of the best sunscreen available on the market. You'll enjoy excellent protection and, hopefully, avoid not just skin cancer but the aging effects of too much sun exposure as well! 

To your health and wellness,

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