Mayo Clinic researchers are reporting positive results in early leukemia clinical trials using the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an active ingredient in green tea. The trial determined that patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) can tolerate the chemical fairly well when high doses are administered in capsule form and that lymphocyte count was reduced in one-third of participants. The findings appear online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
“We found not only that patients tolerated the green tea extract at very high doses, but that many of them saw regression to some degree of their chronic lymphocytic leukemia,” says Tait Shanafelt, M.D., Mayo Clinic hematologist and lead author of the study. “The majority of individuals who entered the study with enlarged lymph nodes saw a 50 percent or greater decline in their lymph node size.”
CLL is the most common subtype of leukemia in the United States. Currently it has no cure. Blood tests have enabled early diagnosis in many instances; however, treatment consists of watchful waiting until the disease progresses. Statistics show that about half of patients with early stage diseases have an aggressive form of CLL that leads to early death. Researchers hope that EGCG can stabilize CLL for early stage patients or perhaps improve the effectiveness of treatment when combined with other therapies.
Links
-
Mayo Clinic Photos on Flickr
More Photos
24 Comments
Dear all,
Thanks for all the information. As a surgeon in our clinic in the Netherlands and “suffering” from cll by myself, I am very interested in the use of “green tea extracts” Without medication – except the use of a green tea extract – my cll is stable for 6 years now. I wonder if there is any information available which brand of green tea is used in the Mayo clinics.
Thanks for any information in advance.
I try to get the substance standarized.
Robert W. Kreis
my father aged 65 has been diagnosed 9 months back as stage 0 of cll.i would like to know what brand of green tea can be had in u.s.a.and what is the dosage
The study is not about green tea itself, but a compound that is extracted from it. So there are no “brands” involved here, no drinking of tea. The clinical trial currently ongoing is to determine dosages and proper use of the compound which is administered in pill form.
I need to know how much and what brand if it makes a difference ,what kind of green tea is being used Thanks
I received a call from the Mayo clinic and some e- mail .I am going to try something with green tea I have nothing to lose my count is over 100000 .I hope they are not wasting their time and come up with something different other than the chemo drugs that we know is as dangerous as the diesease thanks Bob Arguelles
Please see previous response.
Which company does the Mayo Clinic use for its’ source of green tea? Is labelling clear for dosage?
Would appreciate your reply to the above. Thank you.
Your question has been referred on for answering.
In reguards to the Green Tea compounds for CLL;
I’m 67 years old. Was diagnosed with CLL 10 years ago. Initial count was 11,000. Has slowly increased to 50,000.(from 42,000 6 months ago) Is it possible for me or my Physician to obtain the compounds or become part of a study?
Thank You
Bob
I was diagnosed in late 2000 with CLL. Although my blood results were were good for many years by the Spring of 2007 my doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering were telling me that I had to consider treatment due to the size of my lymthnodes and swelling. In my research over the internet at that time I noticed what the Mayo Clinic was investigating regarding green tea and ECGC. I had nothing to loose so I went out to my local Target and puchased an over the counter bottle of Green Tea Capsules, 315mg and took one capsule three times a day. Within 48 hours I no longer experienced pain in my neck glands, and the glands on the side of my face. Within 5 days the swelling around my collar bone practically dissappeared, as did the swelling on the side of my face due to enlarged glands. It did not stop the CLL, but it sure slowed it down for approximately 1 1/2 years until I went into treatment with FCR. I finished my treatment in March 2009, and I started taking the green tea capsules again. My doctors had advised that they have heard of similar stories, but can’t explain it. I simply suggest that for less than $5 for 100 capsules, try them, see if there is any results. It’s not the same type of ECGC compound that Mayo has specifically produced for them in clinical trials by pharmas, but you have nothing to lose and perhaps something to gain. It bought me another 1 1/2 years before I had to enter treatment.
Bob, your question has been referred on to Dr. Shanafelt.
In reguards to my previous email concerning CLL, please notify me of follow-up comments via email(I forgot to check the box at the bottom of the form)
Thanks
Bob
I have been recently diagnosed with CLL – 3 months ago. I am a 47 year old women and want to prolong this as long as I can. My count is currently at 40,000 and I want to do something instead of sitting around waiting for the count to get higher. I just started taking Green Tea Extract 400mg twice a day. Is that a good dosage? I would also like to know if there is any other herbs and/or diet that would help slow this down?
In a previous reply by Bob Nellis on Aug. 4:
The study is not about green tea itself, but a compound that is extracted from it. So there are no “brands” involved here, no drinking of tea. The clinical trial currently ongoing is to determine dosages and proper use of the compound which is administered in pill form.
I was diagnosed with CLL one month ago. I am in stage 0 with a wcc of 13.5 Your article about green tea extract is the type of info I’ve been searching for. Please send more info on the ECGC compound. I was disappointed my doctor only recommended that I continue to take my multi-vitamins (after I asked is there anything I could start doing now).
Please see Bob Nellis’ August 4th reply. Thank you.
I think that it is amazing the generated messaging that is taking place here because of what Mayo is doing .I seriously hope that this tea compound can do something in reducing the amount of wbc that are bad in my body I have alot, but my doctor told me I looked good had no signs of the disease in any parts of my body ,I hope it stays that way for a while.I too am taking green tea capsules twice a day I buy them from the vitamin shop,have been taking them for more that five weeks ,I think that if I was taking chemo now I might be very sick so I am going to wait Bob Arguelles
I have had CLL for more than 22 years. My current wbc is 285,000. I have no enlarged nodes and I feel fine. My spleen has enlarged within the past month and my doctor is pushing for chemo treatment. My rbc was dropping and I just started drinking green tea (Hoji-cha) and my rbc is now normal but my platelets may be low. I am so reluctant to go into treatment and think I will try the green tea extract. Does anyone else have this disease with so few symptoms?
just diagnosed with CLL count is high am on wait and watch would like to get an idea on EGCG dosage ASAP
thanks mike
Please see Bob Nellis’ August 4th reply. Thank you.
Has everybody seen the postings from the Mayo Clinic and the video of the Dr.? If not look up Mayo clinic Green Tea ,If you haven’t it is easy to find let me know . Bob
can you please post the link of the video
i am from belgium, so sorry for my bad english. our story/ My brother has 32 years,last year doctors noticed he has cll. His white cells has an amount of 21000 now.(last bloodtest Sept 2009) He is taking green tea capsule for from beginning of april 2009. Twice a day (twice 90mg). On last bloodtest(sept 2009),his white cells increased only for 500. So,I believe that the poliphenol of green tea can stabilize this illniss. Because of the fact the white cells increased for 3000 on previous blood tests(every the 3 months). Can somebody advice me if 180 mg poliphenol is enough?
For more information on CLL please visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia/. To request an appointment visit http://www.mayoclinic.org/chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia/rsttreatment.html.