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Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Study of green tea extract inconclusive
I just want to tell my story about CLL. I was diagnosed in December 2012 with it and my son found your report on a study you had done with EGCG and Vitamin D3. I printed it out and read it and started on those 2 things immediately. I've been taking them every since and I haven't had to be treated for CLL yet. I see my cancer doctor twice a year and have blood tests twice a year and while my white cell count is high, I haven't had to be treated for CLL yet. I'm so thankful for your study and that my son found it and told me about it. I am 76 years old and have had over 8 more years than I thought I would when I was diagnosed and I think you should broadcast to the world about that study. I realize not everyone will respond the way I have but you could be saving lots of lives and helping lots of others to find a way to help themselves. Thank you so much for your studies.
UPDATE FROM THE COMMUNITY DIRECTOR
Mayo Clinic cannot recommend that EGCG be used by CLL patients. Green tea trials haven't been conclusive, and this subject requires more study before doctors can agree on the merits of this treatment.
– Evidence for and Against Green Tea and Turmeric in the Management of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7397615/
"From the reported data, our current recommendation is to avoid green tea, both as EGCG and as an extract, usage by CLL patients, especially those with any history of liver or gastrointestinal disease or receiving CLL-directed therapy. The current research for green tea in CLL has demonstrated minimal activity in terms of objective responses, mostly in asymptomatic, early-stage patients who would not normally warrant CLL-directed therapy by the International working group CLL criteria.44 In addition, the current data support the occurrence of significant adverse events (even with limited exposure) associated with green tea, especially its extracts and EGCG. This is especially concerning when most patients who consume green tea extracts/EGCG are asymptomatic from the perspective of their underlying disease. At present, we could not identify ongoing trials for green tea or green tea extract in CLL patients."
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Green teas,
aka EGCG polyphenals have been proven to assist the body and brain in many ways.
I don't have theses studies on the ready, bit you can find them.
So can’t drinking decaf green tea help?
Sure, it can help but the extract is more concentrated. Not sure what a few cups of decaf green tea would be effective.
I just got diagnosed via lymph node biopsy in December and oncologist says he thinks I’m in stage 3, I’m just frightened at prosecutors of being on chemo. I’m reading if the many side effects of the chemo exiecuslky for older ppl. I’m 77 and have other heath issues like high blood pressure, mitral
Valve prolapse, bradycardia. I’m searching for ways to stop progression with less side effects. I’ve just read some scary stories of the effects of chemo and radiation. I keep reading that the green tea extract has risk of raising liver enzymes. There’s risks with everything.
See a CLL expert. Many new treatment options.
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1 ReactionI'm sorry to hear about what you are going through. Can you find a CLL specialist in your area or do a zoom visit with one if there isn't a specialist nearby? If you google the Mayo Clinic CLL green tea study you should be able to find what they took. It isn't too hard to get your liver enzymes tested if you go that route. I think there are some studies with tumeric also for CLL as well as other cancers.
Thank you for your response. I will definitely read more on this.
I was diagnosed with CLL in December 2020 when my wbc was 65 and started using EGCG (2000mg twice a day) and it seems to be working. My wbc count went up to a 120 two years later but then dropped to 70 this month.
Following a case series publication by Dr. Shanafelt, the National Cancer Institute sponsored clinical trials through the Mayo Clinic, evaluating EGCG in 42 patients with asymptomatic CLL. Patients received 2000mg EGCG twice daily for 6 months. Results showed 69% of patients had a biological response with greater than 20% reduction in absolute leukocyte count (ALC) and/or greater than 30% in reduction in size of the lymph node area utilizing standard assessment criteria (Shanafelt T. et al. 2013).
REF: Effects of Green Tea on Various Types of Indolent Low Grade B-Cell Lymphomas (did not allow me to post website address).
Patients received 2000mg EGCG twice daily for 6 months.
Following a case series publication by Dr. Shanafelt, the National Cancer Institute sponsored clinical trials through the Mayo Clinic, evaluating EGCG in 42 patients with asymptomatic CLL. Patients received 2000mg EGCG twice daily for 6 months. Results showed 69% of patients had a biological response with greater than 20% reduction in absolute leukocyte count (ALC) and/or greater than 30% in reduction in size of the lymph node area utilizing standard assessment criteria (Shanafelt T. et al. 2013).