Rochester, NY (AP) 08/05/03 -- Green tea appears to be a more potent cancer-fighter than was first thought.

That's according to a study by the University of Rochester's Environmental Health Sciences Center.

Traditional Chinese medicine promotes drinking green tea for health, and scientists have found that people who drink it are less likely to develop cancer.

The study by graduate student Christine Palermo and her adviser Thomas Gasiwicz found one reason why: the tea contains chemicals that shut down one of the key molecules that causes cancer.

The beneficial chemicals in tea are closely related to antioxidants found in broccoli and red wine that are known to help prevent cancer.