Tomatoes may reduce prostate cancer risk

By Robert Cervin, June 7th, 2013 | Health | 0 Comments

A study shows that eating a diet rich in tomatoes has a beneficial effect on prostate tissue in men with cancer.
Mounting evidence suggests a link between consuming lycopene - the pigment that makes tomatoes red - and reduced prostate cancer risk. Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago report on the first study of eating tomatoes - rather than taking supplements - in prostate cancer.

They had 32 men awaiting surgery for prostate cancer eat one tomato-based pasta dish a day for three weeks. Levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) went down, as did oxidative damage of the DNA in the prostate tissue - both markers of a possible slowdown of cancer growth. Levels of lycopene in the tissue was elevated. The study doesn’t actually prove that lycopene is responsible for the improvement - but it is encouraging. In the meantime, it might be worth including a regular ‘pasta napoletana’ in your weekly menu - or at least remembering to put the tomato ketchup on the table at dinner.