Combination cancer chemoprevention with green tea extract and sulindac shown in intestinal tumor formation in Min mice

Green tea is the most effective beverage for cancer prevention in humans. L ooking at the concept of combination cancer chemoprevention, we previously reported the synergistic effects of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) wit h sulindac, and the additive effects of EGCG with tamoxifen, on cancer-prev entive activity in human lung cancer cell line PC-9. This paper reports con firmation of the synergistic effects of EGCG with sulindac on the inhibitio n of intestinal tumors in multiple intestinal neoplasia (Min) mice. Treatme nt with both green tea extract and sulindac significantly reduced the numbe r of tumors from 72.3 +/- 28.3 to 32.0 +/- 18.7 tumors per mouse, a decreas e of 43.3%, whereas treatment with green tea extract alone or with sulindac alone reduced it to 56.7 +/- 3.5 and 49.0 +/- 12.7, respectively. The resu lts also indicated that green tea extract inhibited turner growth in Min mi ce almost as potently as sulindac itself did. The three treated groups did not show any adenocarcinomas, whereas 10.8% of the control group did. Since cancer-preventive agents like sulindac and tamoxifen are associated with a dverse effects, we discuss the possibility of non-toxic, combination cancer chemoprevention with green tea, looking at the goal of truly effective can cer prevention.