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Drug Insight: lycopene in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer

Nature Clinical Practice Urology volume 2, pages 38–43 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

For almost a decade researchers in the field of urology have investigated lycopene and the chemopreventive potential of the tomato. A potent antioxidant found in abundance in the tomato, lycopene has repeatedly been correlated with reduced risk of prostate cancer in numerous epidemiological and population-based studies. Researchers and clinicians continue to investigate beyond the potent antioxidant properties of lycopene for other mechanisms of action and chemotherapeutic potential. This review examines the preclinical and preliminary clinical evidence surrounding the tomato and the health claims based on lycopene. We have explored recent mechanistic insights and conclude that more clinical research is warranted. The scope and extent of scientific evidence accrued on lycopene and tomato extracts, reported molecular mechanisms of action, and its potential impact on the incidence and severity of prostate cancer are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia,

    Emma S Guns & Simon P Cowell

  2. The Prostate Cancer Centre, Vancouver, Canada

    Emma S Guns & Simon P Cowell

Authors
  1. Emma S Guns
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  2. Simon P Cowell
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Correspondence to Emma S Guns.

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Guns, E., Cowell, S. Drug Insight: lycopene in the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. Nat Rev Urol 2, 38–43 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpuro0073

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpuro0073

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