Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in the United States, surpassed only by skin cancer. The statistics are overwhelming: according to data from the American Cancer Society (ACS), approximately 313,780 new diagnoses and 35,250 deaths from this disease were reported in 2024.

In this context, given the search for new possibilities to promote prevention and complement existing treatments, nutrition is emerging as a promising field to explore. One of these options is lycopene, a potent carotenoid found in foods like tomatoes (in fact, it is responsible for giving them their characteristic red color), and has captured the interest of the scientific community.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) has highlighted the importance of nutrition for prostate health in its educational materials and campaigns. While they avoid giving "miracle recipes," they often mention tomatoes and their derivatives as examples of foods with potential benefits for the prostate due to their lycopene content, urging people to maintain a balanced diet.

Those who have become interested in lycopene as a way to prevent or help cure prostate cancer value it for its antioxidant properties and its ability to influence key biological processes, including suppressing cell growth and inducing cancer cell death.

Lycopene against prostate cancer

We have already mentioned that, according to experts, lycopene reduces the risk of getting prostate cancer, but it is also important to explain how this substance works in the body. We will tell you, or rather, science will tell you, what its benefits are.

A recent meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Nutrition (2025) by Wang et al. investigated the association between tomato and lycopene intake, blood lycopene levels, and cancer risk.The results determined a linear inverse association between dietary lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk. Furthermore, higher blood lycopene levels were associated with an 11% reduction in overall cancer risk.

The results suggest that lycopene, due to its ability to neutralize free radicals, contributes to cellular protection and cancer risk reduction.

A study published in the Asian Journal of Andrology (2018) by Z. Lin et al. investigated the effect of lycopene on prostate cancer progression. In this case, xenograft models—tissue grafts with prostate cancer—were used. in mice (in vivo) to observe the effect of lycopene on tumor growth.

The results of this research showed that increasing doses of lycopene significantly improved the survival of mice with prostate cancer xenografts and substantially reduced tumor burden.

3. Induction of Apoptosis: promotes programmed cell death (apoptosis) in cancer cells, an essential process for eliminating damaged or abnormal cells. A study titled “The Effect of Lycopene on Cancer Cell Apoptosis by Caspase-9 Concentration Measurement in Indonesian Human Prostate Cancer Cell” (2020) by Heriyanto et al., focused on the induction of apoptosis by lycopene.

Indonesian human prostate cancer cells were used for this research. Researchers measured the level of Caspase-9, a key enzyme in the apoptosis pathway, in cells after lycopene administration.

A notable increase in the level of Caspase-9 was observed in cells treated with lycopene. For example, administration of 2 μM lycopene resulted in an increase in the level of Caspase-9 from 0.250 ng/mL to 0.635 ng/mL within 72 hours. This suggests that lycopene induces apoptosis in prostate cancer cells through the activation of Caspase-9.

4. Modulation of Intercellular Communication (Gap Junctions): It has been suggested that lycopene improves communication between healthy cells through gap junctions, which may help maintain control over cell growth.

5. Anti-angiogenic activity: Some findings indicate that lycopene may inhibit the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) that nourish tumors, thus limiting their growth and ability to metastasize.

6. Regulation of growth factors: A possible inverse relationship between lycopene consumption and levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which has been associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, has been investigated.

7. Anti-inflammatory effects: Chronic inflammation is a known risk factor for cancer,and lycopene can modulate inflammatory pathways, contributing to its protective effect.

Foods with lycopene: how to prepare and eat them

If you don't like tomatoes or simply want to know what other foods contain lycopene, we'll clear up any doubts: as a good carotenoid, you find it mainly in a variety of red fruits and vegetables. Although its quintessential and abundant source is the tomato—it is estimated that it provides more than 80% of the lycopene consumed in the Western diet—there are other options in various colors and flavors.

Among other sources of lycopene we have

Now, since what interests us is to take advantage of the potential benefits of lycopene in the prevention of prostate cancer, it is essential to consider not only the foods that contain it, but also the best way to prepare them, in addition to other factors such as bioavailability (the amount of lycopene that the body can absorb and utilize).

As Dr. Wendy Bazilian, registered dietitian and author of “The SuperFoodsRx Diet,” points out, “Lycopene is a fat-soluble compound, meaning it’s best absorbed when consumed with a small amount of fat. Additionally, heat processing of foods, such as cooking tomatoes, helps release lycopene from the cell walls, making it more bioavailable to the body.”

From this, several practical recommendations can be drawn:

Eating cooked or processed tomatoes, such as in tomato sauces, tomato paste, tomato juice, and tomato soup, significantly increases the bioavailability of lycopene compared to raw tomatoes. Heat modifies the molecular structure of lycopene, making it more easily absorbed by the intestine. Consume with healthy fats: Pairing foods rich in lycopene with healthy fats (for example, extra virgin olive oil in a tomato salad or avocado with watermelon) improves its absorption.It’s critical to consider not only the foods that contain it, but also how best to prepare them, in addition to other factors such as bioavailability (the amount of lycopene the body can absorb and utilize).

As Dr. Wendy Bazilian, registered dietitian and author of “The SuperFoodsRx Diet,” points out, “Lycopene is a fat-soluble compound, which means it’s best absorbed when consumed with a small amount of fat. Additionally, heat processing of foods, such as cooking tomatoes, helps release lycopene from the cell walls, making it more bioavailable to the body.”

From there, several practical recommendations can be derived:

Consuming cooked or processed tomatoes, such as in tomato sauces, tomato paste, tomato juice, and tomato soup, significantly increases the bioavailability of lycopene compared to raw tomatoes. Heat modifies the molecular structure of lycopene, making it more easily absorbed by the intestine. Consume with healthy fats: Pairing foods rich in lycopene with healthy fats (for example, extra virgin olive oil in a tomato salad or avocado with watermelon) improves its absorption.It’s critical to consider not only the foods that contain it, but also how best to prepare them, in addition to other factors such as bioavailability (the amount of lycopene the body can absorb and utilize).

As Dr. Wendy Bazilian, registered dietitian and author of “The SuperFoodsRx Diet,” points out, “Lycopene is a fat-soluble compound, which means it’s best absorbed when consumed with a small amount of fat. Additionally, heat processing of foods, such as cooking tomatoes, helps release lycopene from the cell walls, making it more bioavailable to the body.”

From there, several practical recommendations can be derived:

Consuming cooked or processed tomatoes, such as in tomato sauces, tomato paste, tomato juice, and tomato soup, significantly increases the bioavailability of lycopene compared to raw tomatoes. Heat modifies the molecular structure of lycopene, making it more easily absorbed by the intestine. Consume with healthy fats: Pairing foods rich in lycopene with healthy fats (for example, extra virgin olive oil in a tomato salad or avocado with watermelon) improves its absorption.