Cancer
The most common disorder nowadays causing affecting millions of people worldwide is cancer.
Cancer is a complex disease that can affect any part of the body and in most cases, it can lead to the death of the patient.
It can result from mutations in some genes and may be inherited, but in most cases, cancer results from some environmental mutagens. The proper cause of this deadly disease is still not understood.
Cancer can be benign or metastatic. Benign tumors do not spread into the body while metastatic cancers can move from one tissue to the other tissue of the body.
Cancers can be classified based on the tissue from where they originated. The tumors at the tissue where they originated are called primary tumors while when they metastasize to other body tissues, they are termed secondary tumors.
Number of cancer cases is rising very high every year in the whole world including India. Scientists from all over the world are trying to discover more and more novel treatments that can help save people’s life suffering from this dangerous disease.
In 2020, around 20 million new cancer cases have been reported throughout the world and the number is still rising.
The need of the hour is to discover some permanent treatment for this disorder and scientists are working on it but still they have not succeeded in this domain.
The world is moving towards the herbal treatments of different disorders and also for different types of cancers. But these herbal medicines should be scientifically approved before use. The physician should only recommend if these medicines are approved through human clinical trials.
Characteristics of Cancer Cells
Cancer cells differ from normal cells in many respects. These cells have many characteristics that can distinguish them from normal body cells as they require a high rate of cell proliferation and longer life. So, they attain a phenotype that can help them in their survival. Some of the distinguishable characteristics of cancer cells are as follows:
They have a higher ability to receive cell proliferation signals as compared to normal body cells.
The cancer cells have the ability to escape apoptotic signals, so they are not killed by programmed cell death.
These cells have their own system of blood vessels attained by a phenomenon of angiogenesis, unlike the normal body cells.
Malignant cells can metastasize from one tissue to the neighboring tissues in the body.
They have modified signal transduction and energy-producing pathways that provide them with larger amounts of energy as compared to the normal cells in the body [1].
Types of Cancers
Cancers can be classified based on the tissue from where they get originated.
More than 120 types of cancers have been reported based on tissue type. Some of these are heritable while most of the cancer types are sporadic.
The most common types of cancers include:
Bladder cancer
Breast cancer
Colorectal cancer
Kidney cancer
Lung cancer
Lymphoma
Melanoma
Oral cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Prostate cancer
Thyroid cancer
Uterine cancer
Many other cancer types have also been reported and are affecting many individuals throughout the world.
The highest number of cases reported are of breast cancer while the largest number of deaths are caused by lung cancer all around the world [2].
Primary Symptoms of Cancer
Cancer is a very dangerous disorder. It is often said that 70% of cases of cancer are caused by luck as the main cause behind this deadly disorder is still unknown.
The primary symptoms that are caused when a person is affected by any type of cancer include:
Weight loss
Pain
Fever (that occurs mostly at night)
Tiredness
Changes in skin
With the passage of time, other serious symptoms also appear as the disease progresses.
In many cases, the diagnosis of cancer becomes difficult, and the patient is diagnosed with cancer at the advanced stage.
If diagnosed at the advanced stage, the treatment becomes difficult, and most death of the patient occurs [3].
Treatments of Cancer
Currently, many treatments for this complex disorder are available on the market.
The most used treatments include radiation therapy which uses ionizing radiation to kill the malignant cells, chemotherapy which makes the use of chemicals in order to kill the cancerous cells, and hormonal therapy in some cancers is also being used.
Some herbal medicines are also available in the market to treat cancers with a belief that they cause little or no side effects as compared to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
These treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy are effective in killing cancer cells, but they have a limitation of cancer recurrence as the malignant cells develop resistance against these treatments as time passes.
So, the need of the hour is to find some novel treatments and herbal treatment is one of these. But these medications should be scientifically approved for their safety and efficacy in cancer patients.
EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate)
EGCG is an important compound obtained from a unique plant. It has been found that many health benefits can be obtained from this precious compound.
It can help in many bad health conditions including inflammation, cancer, and heart and brain disorders. this compound is also helpful in weight loss.
It is normally called catechin. Catechins are very important antioxidant compounds. So, it can protect the cells from oxidative damage that may be caused by free radicals in the cells.
EGCG is found in many of the foods that are in our daily use. Some of these foods containing EGCG include:
Tea (black, green, and white)
Some fruits including strawberries, blackberries, pears, cherries, peaches, apples, and avocados.
Nuts including pistachios and pecans.
It is also found in dark chocolate, red wine, and legumes.
EGCG is a well-researched catechin with a lot of health benefits for humans [5].
Research has also proven it to be very beneficial for cancer patients. Many experiments have been performed for this purpose that will be discussed later in this article.
Health Benefits of EGCG
Many bad health conditions can be treated using this precious compound.
The most common health benefits that can be obtained from this compound include:
Killing of malignant cells.
It boosts the immune system of the body.
Reduces oxidative stress.
Reduces inflammation.
It maintains healthy skin.
Help with cardiovascular disorders.
Neuroprotective properties.
It is anti-allergic.
It has anti-microbial properties.
Improves the cognitive functions of the body.
It is an anti-aging compound.
It helps in weight loss.
Promotes osteogenesis.
Boosts the metabolism of the body [6].
Mechanisms of Action of EGCG in the Body
EGCG is an important compound that helps in the treatment of many disorders and works via different mechanisms of action in the boy.
The most common ways by which EGCG can help the body improve its health conditions are as follows:
Powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance.
The process of oxidation is crucial to maintaining the body's health. We categorize EGCG as an antioxidant based on the chemical structure of the compound. The ring structure in the ECGC traps the free electrons and prevents the formation of reactive oxygen species. It also possesses anti-inflammatory action by targeting the NF-KB pathway and increasing the anti-inflammatory substance’s gene expression.
Killing of cancer cells effectively.
One of the most prevalent and dangerous illnesses to affect humans is cancer. Both the scientific community and the general public have paid close attention to EGCG as a natural substance.
Moreover, EGCG has demonstrated therapeutic and preventative effects in a variety of human malignancies. Several theories have been put out to explain how EGCG inhibits the development and spread of cancer.
The prooxidant effects of EGCG were considered to represent possible anticancer action mechanisms. Depending on the cell type, dosage, and/or timing of the therapy, several anticancer strategies were used.
Weight loss management.
Several research has looked at the mechanisms behind the anti-obesity benefits of EGCG in both cellular and animal models. It can reduce weight through its fat-burning property.
Healthy Skin.
Several skincare treatments for anti-aging contain green tea extract or EGCG. This is so that the chemical can promote young and healthy-looking skin by increasing skin elasticity. Minimizing wrinkles, enhancing moisture retention, and improving skin texture, also slows down the aging process of the skin [7].
Role of EGCG in Cancer
EGCG is a very crucial compound that has been proven to be very safer and more effective for cancer patients with different types of cancer.
It helps in killing the malignant cells in the body very effectively.
The safety and efficacy of this important compound are proved through many in vitro and in vivo experiments in the laboratory as well as by human clinical trials.
It is found through experimentation that it helps in the treatment of cancer by different mechanisms, particularly it can stop the proliferation of malignant cells and has the capability to induce apoptosis in these cells.
Mechanism of Action in Cancer Cells
EGCG can kill malignant cells and can stop their proliferation and survival by the following mechanisms:
To stop the division of malignant cells, it can cause epigenetic changes in the DNA of these cells such as acetylation and methylation.
It can inhibit the angiogenesis in malignant cells by reducing the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
It downregulates the expression of metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) which in turn helps in preventing the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells to other tissues in the body.
It can help in inducing different types of cell deaths in the cancer cells such as:
Caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death
Caspase-independent apoptosis
Autophagy
Cell death by permeabilization of lysosomal membrane
EGCG can also be used as an adjuvant along with other cancer treatments and can improve the results of those remedies in a very effective way [9].
Human Clinical Trials
The significance of EGCG in treating cancer patients is approved through many human clinical trial studies.
Experiments on human patients with different types of cancers prove the safety and efficacy of a medicine and such scientifically proven medications should be recommended to the patients.
EGCG is also approved through such human clinical trial studies in various types of cancer patients.
Some of these studies are discussed below.
Clinical Trials for Colon Cancer
EGCG was given to human colon cancer patients in the form of green tea to check its safety and effectiveness in humans after approval from in vitro and in vivo studies.
This was the phase 1 clinical trial in China and was sponsored by National Cancer Institute NCI.
Some patients with solid tumors in the colon were given green tea extract (EGCG) on a regular basis.
The patients were given 120 ml of green tea about three times a day.
After some specific time period, when the health condition of these patients was compared, they showed a decrease in the size of the tumor.
Further research studies confirmed that EGCG can kill colon cancer cells by different mechanisms of action and thus, reduces the size of the tumor [10].
Clinical Trials for Rectum Cancer
Another study was performed on human rectum cancer patients. This study also took place in China.
Around 884 rectum cancer patients with age between 30 to 74 years were part of the study.
These patients were given EGCG in the form of green tea for some specific time period.
A great reduction in the size of the tumor was observed and symptoms were also alleviated in the patients.
This research study confirmed that EGCG can be very safe and effective for rectum cancer patients and can help in their treatment [11].
Clinical Trials for Pancreatic Cancer
Another clinical trial study was performed in Shanghai in 1990.
451 pancreatic cancer patients were part of the study along with some normal persons taken as controls.
These patients were given EGCG in a dose of 300g/month.
Positive outcomes were observed in the patients who were given the remedy
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