Green Tea and the health benefits being attributed to it are constantly in the news. Some claims are yet unproven, but here’s one that appears to have validity.

The polyphenols in Green Tea have been studied for their protective effects against some cancers. Green Tea contains antioxidants that have been shown to protect against cell damage.

A study at the University of Southern California suggests that drinking Green Tea could lower a woman’s risk of breast cancer. According to researchers, Green Tea drinkers had a lower blood estrogen level. High blood estrogen levels have been linked to breast cancer.

Drinking Black Tea did not have the same estrogen lowering effects.

Green Tea May Protect Against Breast Cancer

Diet has once more been implicated in the development of breast cancer. An extensive study at the University of Leeds followed 35,000 women for seven years, tracking eating habits and health.

The findings indicate that eating red meat increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer and the risk is even higher for post-menopausal women. The higher the intake of red meat, the higher the chance of breast cancer.

For those eating red meat once a day, the risk is 56% higher than those who abstain from red meat.

The risks are even greater for women eating processed meat, such as bacon, sausage or ham. The women eating the highest amount of these meats increased their chance of developing breast cancer by 64%.

Diet does matter when it comes to breast cancer risk. Other studies have shown that, for pre-menopausal women, a diet high in fiber can cut a woman’s risk of breast cancer in half.

Red meat linked to breast cancer University of Leeds

Specially grown soy beans produce a compound that may fight the growth of breast and ovarian cancers according to Tulane University cancer researcher Matthew Burow.

The compound, known as glyceollin, was tested on mice with ovarian and breast cancers that are stimulated by the hormone estrogen. Glyceollin interferes with the tumor’s ability to respond to estrogen, stopping further growth.

According to Burow, the finding is significant because of the lack of effective therapies available to women with advanced breast or ovarian cancer. Unlike some of the available therapies, the glyceollins did not stimulate uterine cancer growth.

Tulane University

A team of Portuguese scientists have published a study that elucidates the role of the hormone progesterone in breast cancer. According to their findings, progesterone has a role in angiogenisis, the formation of blood vessels, adjacent to the tumor. The supply of nutrients to cancer cells is crucial to their progession, without a nutrient supply the cancer cells will die.

70% to 80% of breast cancer tumors show estrogen and/or progesterone receptors in their cells. Anti-hormonal therapy is used with good results, often with greater effectiveness than chemotherapy.

The study is being published in the “Journal of Cellular Biochemistry”.

New Light Over The Role Of The Hormone Progesterone In Breast Cancer

Link to the abstract