Green Tea and Stomach Cancer -- A Short Review of Prospective Studies

BACKGROUND: In Japan, green tea has been drunk for a long time. Because it can be drunk casually, many people love drinking it. If such green tea has an effect to prevent stomach cancer, it will be a very convenient way to prevent the disease. METHODS: To examine the association between green tea consumption and the risk of stomach cancer, past epidemiologic studies including JACC Study were reviewed. RESULTS: Among eight case-control studies, five showed risk reduction with a statistically significant difference, and two studies showed risk reduction without a statistically significant difference. The remaining study showed the opposite result. Among six prospective studies regarding stomach cancer, no study showed risk reduction with a statistically significant difference. Four of the six studies showed no relation. In terms of study design, prospective studies, which are considered to be more reliable than case-controlled studies, tend to show no risk reduction. The results of case-control studies and prospective studies present considerably different impressions. CONCLUSIONS: Prospective studies showed no inverse association between the consumption of green tea and the risk of stomach cancer.