Cooked tomatoes shown to slow growth of prostate cancer cells

A nutrient in cooked tomatoes has been shown in laboratory studies to slow the growth of — and even kill — prostate cancer cells, scientists have said.

Dr Mridula Chopra and colleagues at the University of Portsmouth tested the effect of the nutrient lycopene on the simple mechanism through which cancer cells hijack a body’s healthy blood supply to grow and spread.

They found that lycopene, which is what gives tomatoes their red colour, intercepts cancer’s ability to make the connections it needs to attach to a healthy blood supply.

The researchers, from the university’s School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, are now calling for tests to check if the same reaction occurs in the human body.

Director of the research Dr Chopra said: “This simple chemical reaction was shown to occur at lycopene concentrations that can easily be achieved by eating processed tomatoes.”

Lycopene is present in all red fruits and vegetables. Its concentrations are highest in tomatoes.

Dr Chopra said: “I stress that our tests were done in a laboratory and more testing needs to be carried out to confirm our findings, but the laboratory evidence we have found is clear — it is possible to intercept the simple mechanism some cancer cells use to grow at concentrations that can be achieved by eating sufficient cooked tomatoes.”

The research, which was published in the British Journal of Nutrition, was part-funded by Heinz after the food manufacturer asked for more research to follow up earlier studies by the same researchers.