The effect of lycopene-containing foods in prostate cancer development remains undetermined. We tested whether a lycopene-rich tomato intervention could reduce the levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in prostate cancer patients.
Prior to their curative treatment, 79 patients with prostate cancer were randomized to a nutritional intervention with either 1) tomato products containing 30 mg lycopene per day; 2) tomato products plus selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, soy isoflavones, grape/pomegranate juice, and green/black tea (tomato-plus); or 3) control diet for 3 weeks.
The main analysis, which included patients in all risk categories, did not reveal differences in changes of PSA-values between the intervention and control groups. Post-hoc, exploratory analyses within intermediate risk (n = 41) patients based on tumor classification and Gleason score post-surgery, revealed that median PSA decreased significantly in the tomato group as compared to controls (-2.9% and +6.5% respectively, p = 0.016). In separate post-hoc analyses, we observed that median PSA-values decreased by 1% in patients with the highest increases in plasma lycopene, selenium and C20:5 n-3 fatty acid, compared to an 8.5% increase in the patients with the lowest increase in lycopene, selenium and C20:5 n-3 fatty acid (p = 0.003). Also, PSA decreased in patients with the highest increase in lycopene alone (p = 0.009).
Three week nutritional interventions with tomato-products alone or in combination with selenium and n-3 fatty acids lower PSA in patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer. Our observation suggests that the effect may depend on both aggressiveness of the disease and the blood levels of lycopene, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids.
Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland). 2016 Jun 30 [Epub ahead of print]
Ingvild Paur, Wolfgang Lilleby, Siv Kjølsrud Bøhn, Erik Hulander, Willibrord Klein, Ljiljana Vlatkovic, Karol Axcrona, Nils Bolstad, Trine Bjøro, Petter Laake, Kristin A Taskén, Aud Svindland, Lars Magne Eri, Bjørn Brennhovd, Monica H Carlsen, Sophie D Fosså, Sigbjørn S Smeland, Anette S Karlsen, Rune Blomhoff
Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1046, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Division of Cancer Medicine, Transplantation and Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1046, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1046, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Division of Cancer Medicine, Transplantation and Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Division of Cancer Medicine, Transplantation and Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Division of Cancer Medicine, Transplantation and Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway; Department of Urology, Akershus University Hospital, 1748 Lørenskog, Norway. Electronic address: ., Department of Medical Biochemistry, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Department of Medical Biochemistry, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, PO Box 1171, Blindern, 0318 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1122, Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Division of Cancer Medicine, Transplantation and Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, PO Box 1171, Blindern, 0318 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Division of Cancer Medicine, Transplantation and Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Division of Cancer Medicine, Transplantation and Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Division of Cancer Medicine, Transplantation and Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1046, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Division of Cancer Medicine, Transplantation and Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Division of Cancer Medicine, Transplantation and Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1046, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: ., Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1046, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway; Division of Cancer Medicine, Transplantation and Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, PO Box 4950, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: .