LOS ANGELES, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Green tea extract inhibits the growth of cancerous cells, raising hope of finding new ways to fight bladder cancer, University of California researchers said.
UCLA's study, published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, suggests green tea extract interrupts a process that is crucial in allowing bladder cancer to spread to other areas of the body.
"In effect, the green tea extract may keep the cancer cells confined and localized, where they are easier to treat and the prognosis is better," author JianYu Rao said of the study that adds a new dimension in understanding how green tea extract works. "Green tea extract interrupts the invasive process of the cancer."
Bladder cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the United States, with about 56,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Researchers said about half of all bladder cancers are believed to be linked to smoking cigarettes.
The researchers were seeking former smokers suffering from bladder cancer for a National Cancer Institute-funded study to see if green tea extract can prevent a recurrence of cancer.
