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# This beverage cuts risk of gastric cancer in women
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/green_tea_gastric_cancer_0305120734/
- Published: 2012-03-05T20:32:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:46:19.000Z
- Description: Pooling eight cohort and three case-control studies, researchers found women drinking five or more cups of green tea a day 21% less likely to be diagnosed with gastric cancer. No such link appeared in men, and none of the studies were trials.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Herbs, Nutrition, Green Tea, Gastric Cancer, Stomach Cancer, #vivvo-import

By David Liu PHD

Monday March 5, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Drinking a few cups of green tea a day may cut the risk of gastric cancer or stomach cancer in women, but not in men, according to a new study recently published in Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology.

The study led by Shizuka Sasazuki of National Cancer Center in Tokyo, Japan showed that women who drank five or more cups of green tea a day were 21 percent less likely to be diagnosed with gastric cancer. No similar association was observed in men.

The study results did not mean that drinking green tea would definitely reduce the risk of stomach cancer even though that possibility cannot be excluded either. The study was based on data from eight cohort studies and three case-control studies. They were not trials and the study did not establish a causal relationship yet.

Green tea is a healthy beverage. Numerous in vitro and animal studies have suggested that green tea protects against cancer. Rutgers University cancer researchers Dr. C.S yang and colleagues found that EGCG, a major pholyphenol in green tea, promotes apoptosis, programmed cell death - a process that is missing in cancer cells.

The researchers of the current study said previous epidemiological studies resulted in inconsistent conclusions and they would like to combine all data from quality studies to see if there is an inverse association between drinking green tea and risk of gastric cancer in men and women.

Eight cohort studies and three case-control studies were identified from Medline searches as quality studies and data were extracted and pooled for statistical analyses.

Based on analyses of data from eight cohort studies, no inverse association between drinking green tea and risk of stomach cancer was found among men. The inverse association was only found in women.

Case-control studies, however, consistently showed an inverse correlation between green tea consumption and stomach cancer risk. But the association was weak or moderate.

Although this study did not establish any inverse association between green tea intake and risk of gastric cancer in men, it did not exclude the possibility either. It is possible that some other factors outweighed the effect of green tea on the risk of gastric cancer, making the protective effect of green tea insignificant. 

Gastric cancer or stomach cancer is a serious disease often resulting in high mortality. It kills 800,000 people worldwide each year. This disease occurs often in men and women aged 40 or older.

A few things people can do to reduce the risk. The most important one is to get rid of Helicobacter pylori if you host that nasty pathogen. Antibiotics can effectively eliminate it. Or if you are a carrier of this pathogen for whatever reason, try not to use high salt. High salt intake can trigger this pathogen to produce carcinogens that damage the inner wall of the stomach, increasing risk of stomach cancer.

Another important thing, but not to do is eat dinner too late. People who eat dinner too late are found at higher risk for gastric cancer.