Caffeine As Protection from Ultraviolet Radiation. The study, reported in the current early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, used caffeine applied directly to the skin. The effect on mice exposed to ultraviolet radiation was dramatic. Treatment with caffeine reduced cancerous tumors by 72%. It reduced noncancerous tumors by 44%. Conney found that another chemical from green tea -- epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG -- prevented cancer. It didn't work quite as well as caffeine. As EGCG isn't a very stable compound, it would be more difficult to make into a topical treatment. excerpts from: By Daniel DeNoon WebMD Medical News Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.