Link Between Green Tea, the COMT Gene and Breast Cancer
Participants: Asian-American women in Los
Angeles County.
Type of study: Case-control
Study methods: The diet and lifestyle habits of
589 Asian-American women with breast cancer were compared to those of 563 women who did
not have breast cancer
Background: COMT is an enzyme found in
humans which, among other things, helps break down estrogen in the body. Women with
a low activity COMT gene appear to be more susceptible to developing
breast cancer, possibly because of a buildup of estrogen byproducts.
COMT is also involved in breaking down green tea catechins.
The higher the COMT activity, the faster the catechins are "burned up,"
making them less available to do "good works" in the body.
So while a high-activity COMT gene may decrease breast
cancer risk, it may also decrease the effectiveness of green tea.
The researchers in this study wanted to find out whether the
association between green tea and breast cancer risk differed according to the
type of COMT gene a woman possessed.
What happened: Drinking green tea significantly reduced the
risk of developing breast cancer, but only in those who had a low-activity COMT
gene.
Researchers' conclusion: "...tea catechins
appeared to reduce breast cancer risk in this study of Asian-American women.
Reduction in risk was strongest among persons who had the low activity COMT
alleles..."
Citation: Wu AH, Tseng CC, Van Den Berg D, et al. Tea
intake, COMT genotype, and breast cancer in Asian-American women.
Cancer Research 2003;63(21):7526-9. (Click here to read PubMed study
abstract.)
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