Tea and Cancer Prevention (Fact Sheet)

Does the National Cancer Institute (NCI) recommend the use of tea to prevent cancer?

NCI is a research institution. It develops evidence-based research results for others to interpret. In general, therefore, NCI does not make recommendations about specific medical or dietary interventions.

Moreover, as noted above (see Question 5), the evidence regarding the potential benefits of tea consumption in relation to cancer is inconclusive at present.

Selected References

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2. Mukhtar H, Ahmad N. Tea polyphenols: Prevention of cancer and optimizing health. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000; 71(6 Suppl):1698S–1702S.

3. Cabrera C, Giménez R, López MC. Determination of tea components with antioxidant activity. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2003; 51(15):4427–4435. 

4. Cabrera C, Artacho R, Giménez R. Beneficial effects of green tea―a review. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2006; 25(2):79–99.

5. Reto M, Figueira ME, Filipe HM, Almeida CM. Chemical composition of green tea (Camellia sinensis) infusions commercialized in Portugal. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition 2007; 62(4):139–144. 

6. Wu AH, Yu MC. Tea, hormone-related cancers and endogenous hormone levels. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research 2006; 50(2):160–169. 

7. Santana-Rios G, Orner GA, Xu M, Izquierdo-Pulido M, Dashwood RH. Inhibition by white tea of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine-induced colonic aberrant crypts in the F344 rat. Nutrition and Cancer 2001; 41(1 and 2):98–103. 

8. Chen ZY, Zhu QY, Tsang D, Huang Y. Degradation of green tea catechins in tea drinks. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2001; 49(1):477–482.

9. Peterson J, Dwyer J, Jacques P, et al. Tea variety and brewing techniques influence flavonoid content of black tea. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 2004; 17(3–4):397–405.

10. Arts ICW, van de Putte B, Hollman PCH. Catechin contents of foods commonly consumed in the Netherlands. 2. Tea, wine, fruit juices, and chocolate milk. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2000; 48(5):1752–1757. 

11. Henning SM, Fajardo-Lira C, Lee HW, et al. Catechin content of 18 teas and a green tea extract supplement correlates with the antioxidant capacity. Nutrition and Cancer 2003; 45(2):226–235. 

12. Henning SM, Niu Y, Lee NH, et al. Bioavailability and antioxidant activity of tea flavanols after consumption of green tea, black tea, or a green tea extract supplement. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2004; 80(6):1558–1564. 

13. Lambert JD, Yang CS. Mechanisms of cancer prevention by tea constituents. Journal of Nutrition 2003; 133(10):3262S–3267S 

14. Zaveri NT. Green tea and its polyphenolic catechins: Medicinal uses in cancer and noncancer applications. Life Sciences 2006; 78(18):2073–2080. 

15. Elmets CA, Singh D, Tubesing K, et al. Cutaneous photoprotection from ultraviolet injury by green tea polyphenols. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2001; 44(3):425–432. 

16. Steele VE, Kelloff GJ, Balentine D, et al. Comparative chemopreventive mechanisms of green tea, black tea and selected polyphenol extracts measured by in vitro bioassays. Carcinogenesis 2000; 21(1):63–67. 

17. Chow HH, Hakim IA, Vining DR, et al. Effects of dosing condition on the oral bioavailability of green tea catechins after single-dose administration of polyphenon E in healthy individuals. Clinical Cancer Research 2005; 11(12):4627–4633. 

18. Chow HS, Cai Y, Hakim IA, et al. Pharmacokinetics and safety of green tea polyphenols after multiple-dose administration of epigallocatechin gallate and polyphenon E in healthy individuals. Clinical Cancer Research 2003; 9(9):3312–3319. 

19. Matsuyama T, Tanaka Y, Kamimaki I, Nagao T, Tokimitsu I. Catechin safely improved higher levels of fatness, blood pressure, and cholesterol in children. Obesity 2008; 16(6):1338–1348.

20. Higdon JV, Frei B. Coffee and health: A review of recent human research. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 2006; 46(2):101–123. 

21. Nawrot P, Jordan S, Eastwood J, et al. Effects of caffeine on human health. Food Additives and Contaminants 2003; 20(1):1–30. 

22. Chin JM, Merves ML, Goldberger BA, Sampson-Cone A, Cone EJ. Caffeine content of brewed teas. Journal of Analytical Toxicology 2008; 32(8):702–704.

23. Nelson M, Poulter J. Impact of tea drinking on iron status in the UK: A review. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 2004; 17(1):43–54. 

24. Yang CS, Maliakal P, Meng X. Inhibition of carcinogenesis by tea. Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2002; 42:25–54. 

25. August DA, Landau J, Caputo D, et al. Ingestion of green tea rapidly decreases prostaglandin E2 levels in rectal mucosa in humans. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 1999; 8(8):709–713. 

26. Sun CL, Yuan JM, Koh WP, Lee HP, Yu MC. Green tea and black tea consumption in relation to colorectal cancer risk: The Singapore Chinese Health Study. Carcinogenesis 2007; 28(10):2143–2148. 

27. Yang G, Shu XO, Li H, et al. Prospective cohort study of green tea consumption and colorectal cancer risk in women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 2007; 16(6):1219–1223. 

28. Yuan JM, Gao YT, Yang CS, Yu MC. Urinary biomarkers of tea polyphenols and risk of colorectal cancer in the Shanghai Cohort Study. International Journal of Cancer 2006; 120(6):1344–1350.

29. Simons CC, Leurs Lj, Weijenberg MP, et al. Fluid intake and colorectal cancer risk in the Netherlands Cohort Study. Nutrition and Cancer 2010; 62(3):307–321.  

30. Zhang X, Albanes D, Beeson LW, et al. Risk of colon cancer and coffee, tea, and sugar-sweetened soft drink intake: Pooled analysis of prospective cohort studies. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2010; 102(11):771–783.