A Spot of Tea Helps Cancer Patients…But How?

Anytime a medical article touts the cancer benefits of any natural component of food, I think “antifungal!”  Sure enough, here is yet another article, this time on Green Tea. The headline published on sciencedaily.com on February 12, 2021 states, Green Tea Compound Aids p53, ‘Guardian of The Genome’ and Tumor Suppressor. Then, almost inevitably, comes the specific reason for the research. The headline continues by stating, “Research offers new lead for cancer drug discovery.”  

I’m concerned that if medical researchers ever caught on to my method of screening meaningful research data, I’d be out of business. I simply study the antifungal properties of the plant(s) being studied! We all have “superman P53 genes.” These protect us against getting cancer. Today, over 50% of all cancers show mutations in the P53 genes. As I have reported before, the Aspergillus fungal mycotoxin, Aflatoxin B1, is proven to mutate our P53 genes.  I do not believe that Oncologists know this, or cancer treatment would change dramatically, but it just so happens that chemotherapy has antifungal properties. Now that you know that fungus could mutate this cancer-preventing human gene, my research on this green tea compound will make perfect sense to you. The compound in green tea is called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). A research paper (British J of Pharmacology 2013 Mar;168(5):1059-73.) published in 2013, perhaps gives us the best clue as to why green tea strengthens our p53 genes to fight cancer.  Although much more work would be required to make the argument that fungal infections lead to cancer in some patients, let me summarize what these two important medical articles confirm. 

1. Epigallocatechin Gallate, or EGCG, is a natural compound found in green tea.

2. Epigallocatechin Gallate, or EGCG strengthens our P53 cancer fighting gene.

3. Epigallocatechin Gallate, or EGCG has antifungal activity against human-pathogenic yeasts like Candida albicans.

4. The mechanistic effects of Epigallocatechin Gallate, or EGCG are not fully understood.

Unless one believes as I do that fungal infections can lead to cancer, the mechanics of how these antifungal plant compounds work against both fungal cells and cancer cells will forever remain “not fully understood.”. Plants contain natural non-patentable chemical components called “phytochemicals.” This paper testified that cancer drugs is what they seek and those require patents. Most, if not all plant chemicals have antimicrobial activity-they can kill viruses, bacteria and fungi. EGCG inhibits or kills fungal pathogens that I believe cause cancer. Cancer websites always refer viewers to the importance of a “proper diet,” and I believe my work is to further define the components of that “proper diet” as those foods that do not feed fungus. Green tea does just that!