Defending Against Cancer
DNA: the tiny molecule that determine what and how you are, is itself a most delicate structure.
How Tea Moderates Cancer
The body’s own and aided defense against cancers or precursors of cancers is as complex as how cancers are formed. Scientists all over the world are continuously investigating in a wide array of pertaining subjects. As to how tea protects the body against cancer, several mechanisms have been observed and hypothesized. We have tried to digest them and represent a few prominent concepts here in plain English:
Preventing and repairing DNA damage in healthy cells
Oxidative stress on the cell caused either by carcinogens or an unbalanced body condition weakens the cell and renders it receptive to mutation triggered by carcinogens. The mutation happens in the chromosomes of the cell. When the DNA that defines what the cell is mutate, the cell becomes abnormal. It is not part of the body but will pretend to be, so as to continue to grow and infiltrate other cells. EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidative agent that is able to reverse the chemistry around the cell that defines stress so that the cell can operate in a healthy environment against such mutation (14).
Causing tumor cells to die naturally
Time-lapse microscopy video showing apoptosis of prostate cancer cells. Notice how the cells breakdown and disintegrate
Our cells have a built-in mechanism to die when they are dysfunctional, no longer usable, or no longer needed. Apoptosis, as it is called, is part of our normal body function. Billions of cells die everyday in the average human body. However, when cells are caused to mutate by carcinogens, one other survival mechanism these abnormal cells develop is to cheat apoptosis so they can live on continuously to take over the immediate surrounding area. EGCG is observed to have regulated the cell chemistry such that the mutants are not able to continue to fool the apoptosis process. The body will then recognize these abnormal cells and would start to make them die or stop infiltrating (15).
Reducing blood supply to the mutated cells so as to deplete them of nutrients
Tumour cells trick the body to grow blood vessels to them so they get the nutrients for growth. They do this by changing the chemistry around them with an enzyme called MMP. EGCG inhibits the activity of the enzyme and thereby induces anti-angiogenesis — “pruning down” of the tiny blood vessels — to reduce nutrient supply to halt tumor growth (16).
Anti-inflammation
Tissues in the body get inflamed when there is an attack by bacteria, virus or other pathogens. Inflammation sets the micro-environment for crossing over to tumor growth (17). Tumors in the stomach, liver and lung are some examples of such a development. Substances in tea, most notably catechins and theaflavins, have been observed to reduce or eliminate topical inflammations or even ulcers to reduce such risks (18).
