Anti-Cancer Mechanism of Tomatoes Revealed

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant compound for which previous studies have suggested and intervention role in certain cancers.  In that cancer cells employ the mechanism known as angiogenesis to connect to the body’s blood supply, Mridula Chopra, from the University of Portsmouth (United Kingdom), and colleagues observed that lycopene disabled the angiogenic ability of cancer cells. Writing that: "The anti-angiogenic effects of lycopene in the present study were shown at a concentration that should be achievable by dietary means,” the study authors conclude that: "These results extend our knowledge of one of the putative anti-cancer actions of lycopene.”