Can lycopene impact prostate health, cancer prevention and treatment?

Over the years, there have been a number of studies that link an increased consumption of the antioxidant phytochemical lycopene to protection against prostate cancer and to a slowing of the progression of advanced prostate cancer. But a recent study from the National Cancer Institute and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center seemed to contradict the findings of previous studies, noting that lycopene did not confer prostate protection.

“I don’t think it would be prudent to discount the positive protective action of lycopene on prostate health without further extensive, long-term studies,” says PinnacleCare’s specialist in complementary and integrative medicine Michael Scott, N.D., M.S.A. “For more than a decade, there have been studies that found that higher blood concentrations of lycopene do correlate with a lower risk of prostate cancer and also with effective treatment of benign prostate enlargement. We do not have a definitive evidence-based answer yet, so men considering the role of lycopene in their quest for prostate health should discuss the topic with a physician who is well versed in integrative medicine and the effects of nutrition on health and disease.”

Lycopene: what it is and how it works

Lycopene is the natural pigment that gives many fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit their red hue. Chemically, it is classified as a phytochemical in the carotenoid family, which also includes beta-carotene. Unlike other carotenoids, however, lycopene is not converted into vitamin A in the human body. Instead it acts as an antioxidant, preventing cell damage caused by free radicals, extra oxygen molecules created during normal cell processes. These molecules combat substances that can harm the body like bacteria. But if there are too many free radicals, they can cause DNA changes to cells that result in mutations including cancer.

While lycopene supplements are available, several studies have found that getting lycopene from foods may offer more benefit. Most studies have focused on tomatoes as the food source of lycopene and have found that cooked or processed tomatoes have a greater impact on prostate health than raw ones. One long-term study discovered that men who ate at least two servings of tomato sauce a week had 28 percent lower risk of developing cancer confined to the prostate, a 35 percent lower risk of developing locally advanced disease (that is advanced cancer confined to the prostate) and a 36 percent lower risk of developing metastatic cancer. During the course of the study, which followed the men for 12 years, those who did develop prostate cancer but added two extra servings of tomato sauce a week to their diet had a 20 percent reduced risk of the cancer progressing, suggesting that lycopene’s antioxidant properties may slow the growth of cancer cells.

Researchers believe that the lycopene found in tomatoes is more potent in part because it works in combination with other nutrients in tomatoes. They also posit that cooking and processing tomatoes makes the lycopene more readily available and easily absorbed by the body. In addition, because lycopene is a fat-soluble substance, the best absorption in the digestive tract occurs when tomato products are eaten with dietary fats such as olive oil.

The science of lycopene

Researchers have been investigating the effect of lycopene on a range of health problems, including high blood pressure, atherosclerosis and asthma, for more than a decade. In terms of prostate cancer, one of the first and largest studies was undertaken at Harvard. The diets of 47,000 men over a period of six years were examined, evaluating the effect of 46 fruits and vegetables. Only tomato consumption had a measurable impact on prostate cancer risk. The more lycopene-rich food the men ate, the higher their blood levels rose and the more their prostate cancer risk declined. A second Harvard study in 2002 confirmed those original findings.

Another small study by researchers at the University of Illinois in 2002 found that men who ate 30 mg of lycopene a day in the form of tomato sauce had reduced oxidative DNA damage in prostate tissue and leukocytes, as well as decreased prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels.

Lycopene has also been found to have a positive effect on men diagnosed with prostate cancer. At Wayne State University, men with localized prostate cancer scheduled for radical prostatectomy received 15 mg of lycopene in the form of pure tomato extract daily. When prostate tissues were examined post-operatively, the tumors in the group of men who received lycopene were smaller compared to those in the control group and showed regression and decreased malignancy. In addition, two-year survival rates for men who received lycopene while being treated for prostate cancer were 87 percent compared to 78 percent for the control group.

A new study released this year found that men with benign prostate hyperplasia can also benefit from lycopene. Those who took 15 mg of lycopene a day had PSA scores that dropped from an average of 6.6 to 5.8, an improvement in symptoms and no further enlargement of the prostate.

PinnacleCare can connect you with the nation’s top prostate specialists “Research has shown that we can be proactive in working to reduce our prostate cancer risk by making changes to our diet, taking part in regular exercise and avoiding negative behaviors like smoking,” notes PinnacleCare’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Miles J. Varn. “It’s also important to work with your physician to develop an appropriate screening and risk assessment strategy.”

Members of PinnacleCare can work with their Advocate team to develop a strategy to protect prostate health as well as get facilitated access to the nation’s top physicians specializing in treating prostate cancer and benign prostate disease.