Tomatoes not the Key to Prostate Cancer Prevention

Ivanhoe Newswire
Friday, May 18, 2007; 12:00 AM

By Betsy Lievense, Ivanhoe Health Correspondent

ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A vine-ripened red tomato may taste great in your summer salad, but a recent study reveals these lycopene-rich, beta-carotene-filled vegetables won't stave off prostate cancer.

In order to find out whether lycopene really protects against prostate cancer, researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash., looked at 28,000 men between ages 55 and 74. Participants were screened for prostate cancer at regular intervals and blood was drawn to determine lycopene levels. Based on the results of the longitudinal study, researchers concluded increased lycopene levels did not lead to decreases in prostate cancer. They also found high levels of beta carotene, an antioxidant that is also found in tomatoes, actually increases a male's risk for aggressive prostate cancer. Researchers report the finding was somewhat intuitive, as other studies have shown high levels of antioxidants can increase the risk for lung cancer and cardiovascular disease in smokers.

Nagi Kumar, Ph.D., R.D., an associate professor and a researcher at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, agrees people should consume antioxidants in moderation. "You want to not overdo antioxidants," she told Ivanhoe. "[It's possible] that antioxidants, when taken in massive quantities, have the opposite effect -- they act as pro-oxidants. This could make the cells rowdier, causing them to survive and live longer and better." Kumar said the best way to get your daily dose of anti-oxidants is through the food you eat. "Take it in the form of food, because if you take it in the form of food, your body can eliminate what it doesn't need naturally."

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.

SOURCE: Ivanhoe interview with Nagi Kumar, Ph.D., R.D.; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, published online May 17, 2007