A cuppa a day keeps cancer away

According to a Swedish study, women who drink two or more cups of tea per day may dramatically cut their risk of ovarian cancer.

The study of more than 61,000 women, by researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, took a retrospective look at the habits and long-term health of the women.

The study began in 1987, and of the women recruited, two-thirds were reportedly tea drinkers.

By the end of 2004,when it concluded, 301 participants had developed ovarian cancer which is a particularly deadly form of the disease.

Study authors Susanna Larsson and Alicja Wolk report that they observed a 46 percent lower risk of ovarian cancer in women who drank two or more cups of tea per day compared with non-drinkers, and each additional cup of tea per day was associated with an 18 percent lower risk of ovarian cancer.

It is believed that black and green teas contain antioxidants that help ward off the cell mutation that leads to cancer.

The researchers however do caution that more studies are needed to confirm their findings.

According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in about 22,000 women in the U.S. this year and 80 percent of cases are not detected until the cancer has spread.

That in effect means more than 16,000 U.S. women will die of ovarian cancer in 2005.

The report is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.