Prostate Protection

Vanessa Er, from the University of Bristol (United Kingdom), and colleagues assessed the diets and lifestyle of 1,806 men, ages 50 to 69 years, with prostate cancer, enrolled in the  Prostate Testing for Cancer and Treatment (ProtecT) study.  Comparing the data with 12,005 cancer-free men, the team established a prostate cancer ‘dietary index’ which consists of dietary components – selenium, calcium and foods rich in lycopene – that have been linked to prostate cancer.  Men who had optimal intake of these three dietary components had a lower risk of prostate cancer. Specifically, tomatoes and tomato-based foods were shown to be most beneficial, lending an 18% reduction in risk in men who consumed over 10 portions a week. Observing that: “Adherence to the prostate cancer-specific dietary recommendations was associated with decreased risk of prostate cancer,” the study authors write that: “High intake of plant foods and tomato products in particular may help protect against prostate cancer.”