Herbal Treatment for Throat Cancer
Throat cancer, also known as cancer of the larynx, is an uncommon form of cancer 1. A number of factors might contribute to its development, including smoking, drinking alcohol and exposure to air-borne pollutants, although U.K. health information website, Patient UK, notes that it can develop for no apparent reason. Throat cancer is commonly treated with surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or a combination of these treatments. Some herbs, including green tea, might also have anti-cancer effects, but should not be used in place of conventional cancer treatments. Consult your physician before using herbal remedies.
Green Tea
Although often referred to as Chinese or Japanese tea, green tea is an herbal beverage enjoyed in many parts of the world and is also prized for therapeutic effects. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center notes that it is sometimes used as a complementary treatment for a host of ailments including gastrointestinal disorders and high cholesterol 2. It might also play a role in the prevention and treatment of cancer and may work by inducing cancer cell death.
Research
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Scientific research into the effects of green tea on throat cancer is lacking. However, the results of laboratory study published in 2003 in "Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica" show that the green tea compound, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, inhibits the growth of laryngeal cancer cells. Subsequent study findings published in the September 2009 issue of "Archives of Pharmaceutical Research" confirm these effects 4. However, clinical trials evaluating green tea's efficacy are required to determine how effective it might be in supporting throat cancer treatment.
- Scientific research into the effects of green tea on throat cancer is lacking.
- However, the results of laboratory study published in 2003 in "Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica" show that the green tea compound, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, inhibits the growth of laryngeal cancer cells.
Administration
Green tea is commonly consumed as a beverage, but green tea extract is also available in capsules for health-food stores. Since green tea is a not a proven treatment for throat cancer, there is little guidance available regarding a suitable dose. However, MedlinePlus notes that a typical therapeutic dose of green tea is three cups daily. Ask your doctor for advice regarding a suitable dose for you.
- Green tea is commonly consumed as a beverage, but green tea extract is also available in capsules for health-food stores.
- Since green tea is a not a proven treatment for throat cancer, there is little guidance available regarding a suitable dose.
Safety Considerations
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Consuming more than five cups of green tea daily may cause side effects including tremor, restlessness, insomnia, headache and nausea. It might also interact with other drugs you might be taking, including oral contraceptives, anticoagulants and antibiotics. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center notes that it might also negate the effects of the anti-cancer drug, bortezomib 2. If you are taking this drug, avoid green tea.
- Consuming more than five cups of green tea daily may cause side effects including tremor, restlessness, insomnia, headache and nausea.
- It might also interact with other drugs you might be taking, including oral contraceptives, anticoagulants and antibiotics.
Related Articles
References
- Patient UK; Cancer of the Larynx (Throat Cancer); June 2009
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Green Tea; June 2011
- "Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica"; Induction of Apoptosis by EGCG in Selected Tumour Cell Lines in Vitro; S. Borska, et al.; 2003
- "Archives of Pharmaceutical Research"; Apoptosis Induction Effects of EGCG in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells Through Telomerase Repression; X. Wang, et al.; September 2009
- Mereles D, Hunstein W. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) for Clinical Trials: More Pitfalls than Promises? Int J Mol Sci. 2011;12(9):5592-5603. doi:10.3390/ijms12095592
- National Cancer Institute. Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO).
- Samavat H, Ursin G, Emory TH, et al. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Green Tea Extract Supplementation and Mammographic Density in Postmenopausal Women at Increased Risk of Breast Cancer. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2017;10(12):710-718. doi:10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-17-0187
- Baker KM, Bauer AC. Green Tea Catechin, EGCG Suppresses PCB 102-Induced Proliferation in Estrogen-Sensitive Breast Cancer Cells. Int J Breast Cancer. 2015;2015:163591. doi:10.1155/2015/163591
- Zhang JY, Liao YH, Lin Y, et al. Effects of tea consumption and the interactions with lipids on breast cancer survival. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2019;176(3):679-686. doi:10.1007/s10549-019-05253-5
- Li MJ, Yin YC, Wang J, Jiang YF. Green tea compounds in breast cancer prevention and treatment. World J Clin Oncol. 2014;5(3):520-8. doi:10.5306/wjco.v5.i3.520
- Yiannakopoulou E. Interaction of Green Tea Catechins with Breast Cancer Endocrine Treatment: A Systematic Review. Pharmacology. 2014;94(5-6):245-248. doi:10.1159/000369170
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Does sugar feed cancer?
- Jin Y, Zhao J, Kim EM, et al. Comprehensive Investigation of the Effects of Brewing Conditions in Sample Preparation of Green Tea Infusions. Molecules. 2019;24(9):1735. doi:10.3390/molecules24091735
- Chen X, Li Y, Lin Q, et al. Tea polyphenols induced apoptosis of breast cancer cells by suppressing the expression of Survivin. Scientific Reports. 2014. 4:4416. doi:10.1038/srep04416
- Crew KD, Ho KA, Brown P, et al. Effects of a green tea extract, Polyphenon E, on systemic biomarkers of growth factor signaling in women with hormone receptor-negative breast cancer. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. 2015. 28(3):272-82. doi:10.1111/jhn.12229
- Hashibe M, Galeone C, Buys SS, et al. Coffee, tea, caffeine intake, and the risk of cancer in the PLCO cohort. British Journal of Cancer. 2015. 113(5):809-16. doi:10.1038/bjc.2015.276
- National Cancer Institute Division of Cancer Prevention. Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (PLCO).
- Roomi MW, Kalinovsky T, Roomi NM, et al. In vitro and in vivo effects of a nutrient mixture on breast cancer progression. International Journal of Oncology 2014. 44(6):1933-44. doi:10.3892/ijo.2014.2379
- Samavat H, Ursin G, Emory T, et al. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Green Tea Extract Supplementation and Mammographic Density in Postmenopausal Women at Increased Risk of Breast Cancer. Cancer Prevention Research. 2017. 10(12):710-718. doi:10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-17-0187
- Zhang JY, Liao YH, Lin Y, et al. Effects of tea consumption and the interactions with lipids on breast cancer survival. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2019 May 16. doi:10.1007/s10549-019-05253-5
Writer Bio
Based in London, Charlotte Waterworth has been writing about health since 2000. Her work has appeared in trade magazines, including "Independent Community Pharmacist," "Pharmafocus," "Current Drug Discovery" and "Hospital Healthcare Europe." She is a member of the European Medical Writers Association. She holds an honors Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and a doctoral degree in gene therapy, both from Cardiff University.