Recent News and Articles on the Keywords: prostate cancer + cancer + lycopene  Related to the article below (Last Update: 8/7/2008)

Battling Out Prostate Cancer Informative Post, OH - Aug 2, 2008 Natural ways for preventing prostate cancer are easy and cheap; many include vitamins such as Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and more commonly known, Lycopene. ... Doctor, doctor Dr Tom Smith answers your questions guardian.co.uk, UK - Aug 1, 2008 Lycopene has had a chequered history. It was proposed, as an antioxidant found in tomatoes, that it protected against prostate cancer. ... 'Whole foods' high in nutrients, fiber, phytochemicals Chicago Daily Herald, IL - Aug 5, 2008 A. Nutrition recommendations from the American Institute for Cancer Research and many other health authorities emphasize choosing whole, ...WFMI What can you eat to prevent prostate cancer Food Consumer, IL - Jul 10, 2008 3) Taking lycopene supplements alone or along with soy isoflavones may prohibit growth prostate cancer, according to a phase II trial by researchers from ... eating right for gender Cay Compass, Cayman Islands - Jul 30, 2008 Ground Flaxseed: Studies suggest that one to two tablespoons per day may reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer and also slows the progression of the ... Feeding the economy with local produce Charlottesville Daily Progress, VA - For example, lycopene, a phytochemical found in tomatoes, helps to greatly lower the risk of prostate cancer. Phytochemicals are also known for enhancing ... Eating for prostate health Gather.com, MA - Jul 15, 2008 KENNEDY: Lycopene may or may not turn out to be a nutrient that is particularly important when it comes to prostate cancer. But there are many beneficial ... Foods that fight cancer SheKnows.com, AZ - Jul 22, 2008 Research is divided on whether or not vitamin E can significantly reduce the risk of cancer. However, it has been linked to a lower risk of prostate cancer. ... Prostate Cancer - Diet For Prostate Cancer eNews Park Forest, IL - Jul 11, 2008 According to a report published by the World Cancer Research Fund in November 2007, foods containing lycopene and selenium probably protect against prostate ... 7 Steps a Man Can Take to Promote a Healthy Prostate Christian Post - Jul 18, 2008 By Dr. Reginald B. Cherry, MD More than 185000 new cases of prostate cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year, along with over ...

Tomatoes Beat Lycopene Alone for Prostate Cancer Protection

A recent study suggests whole tomatoes offer better protection from prostate cancer than lycopene supplements alone. The research, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (Vol. 95, No. 21: 1578-1586), found that rats fed tomato powder (including seeds and skins) had less risk of dying from prostate cancer than rats fed a diet containing only lycopene.

Lycopene is a nutrient that gives tomatoes their red color. Several studies have suggested that lycopene-rich foods might reduce the risk of prostate cancer, and many men take lycopene supplements in hopes of preventing the disease. But this new study suggests they may be better off eating tomatoes instead.

"Our findings strongly suggest that risks of poor dietary habits cannot be reversed simply by taking a pill," said study co-author Steven Clinton, MD, PhD, associate professor of hematology and oncology, and human nutrition at Ohio State University. "We must focus more on choosing a variety of healthy foods, exercising, and watching our weight."

Clinton and colleagues from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, divided 194 male rats into three diet groups. One group received a control diet, a second received the control diet plus lycopene, and the third group received the control diet plus whole tomato powder. Within each diet group, the rats were again divided into two groups: one with unlimited access to food, and one that was fed 80% of the average daily intake of rats in the free-feeding group. All the rats were treated with a compound that made them develop prostate cancer.

Rats fed whole tomato powder did better than rats in the other two dietary groups. Rats on the free-feeding tomato powder diet had a 26% lower risk of dying from prostate cancer compared to animals on the control diet. Rats on the calorie-restricted tomato powder diet had a 32% lower risk compared to those on the control diet. There was little survival difference between rats fed lycopene alone and those on the control diet.

While the findings don't rule out lycopene as an important compound in prostate cancer prevention, they do suggest it works best in the presence of other nutrients found in tomatoes and other foods.

In an accompanying editorial, Peter Gann and Frederick Khachik point out that this study "weighs heavily in the debate about whether cancer prevention is best achieved via whole foods versus via single compounds." Another example they cite is that of beta carotene. It was thought that this compound, found in many vegetables, was responsible for their cancer-protective effect. Yet, when it was given to smokers as a single compound during clinical trials, not only was it not protective, it appeared to increase their chance of developing cancer.

The latest findings provide another opportunity to emphasize the importance of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, said Carmen Rodriguez, an epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society. ACS and other groups recommend that people eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables every day.

"I try to tell my patients it's reasonable to consider including tomato products within that recommendation," said Clinton. Men would do well to eat five to seven servings of tomato products each week, he added.

What kind of tomato product is best has not been firmly established, Clinton noted.

"Whole tomatoes and processed -- juice, soup, sauce -- all can be considered healthy ways to get tomato products," he said. "Right now I'd use the word 'variety.' "