# Immune Effects EGCG is the main immune-relevant catechin in **green tea** oncology research. ### Immune overview Beyond direct tumour-cell effects, EGCG appears to influence the tumour microenvironment and several arms of anti-tumour immunity. ### Reported immune effects #### NK-cell support * May enhance natural killer cell activity * Supports interest in tumour-cell killing capacity #### Macrophage effects * May shift macrophage behaviour away from tumour-supportive patterns * May reduce inflammatory signalling that tumours exploit chronically #### Dendritic-cell and T-cell relevance * May improve dendritic-cell function in selected models * Supports interest in better T-cell priming and tumour recognition #### Broader microenvironment effects * Modulates cytokine patterns * Influences inflammatory burden * Links to PD-L1 and tumour-immune signalling remain an active area of study ### Practical interpretation EGCG's immune effects are one reason it remains interesting as an adjunct. Like many green tea mechanisms, the strongest evidence is still preclinical, but the biological rationale is strong. ### Key References The roles of epigallocatechin gallate in the tumour microenvironment, metabolic reprogramming, and anti-cancer therapy\ Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Therapeutic Potential in Cancer: Mechanism of Action and Clinical Implications\ {% hint style="warning" %} This information is for education only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please speak with a qualified clinician before making changes to care, medication, or supplement use. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} © 2026 Abbey Mitchell. All rights reserved. Please share by URL rather than copying page text. {% endhint %} --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://myhealingcommunity.gitbook.io/myhealingcommunity-docs/natural-medicines/egcg-in-oncology/immune-effects.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.