The impact of micronutrients on gene expression in prostate cancer: lycopene — ASN Events
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  3. The impact of micronutrients on gene expression in prostate cancer: lycopene

The impact of micronutrients on gene expression in prostate cancer: lycopene (#118)

Olivia RL Wright 1 2 , Judith D Bauer 1 , Peter W Swindle 3 , Jonathan P Whitehead 2 , John Hooper 4 , Nigel Waterhouse 4 , Johannes B Prins 1 2 , Gethin Thomas 5 , Bhuvana Srinivasan 6
  1. University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
  2. Metabolic Medicine/Cancer Biology, Mater Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
  3. Queensland Prostate Clinic, Mater Private Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
  4. Cancer Biology, Mater Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
  5. Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
  6. Pathology Department, Mater Health Services, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Cancer of the prostate gland is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, and accounts for 6.1% of total cancer deaths.1  There is limited evidence for the effect of dietary and lifestyle modifications on prostate cancer (PC) progression, identifying a much needed area for further research.2  Lycopene consumption influences a targeted set of metabolic genes in healthy men, in vivo3; however, genome-wide investigation of the effects of lycopene has not been investigated or established in men with varying severities of PC.

The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to determine the whole-genome effects of lycopene supplementation in a group of men with varying severities of prostate cancer who are awaiting radical prostatectomy. All participants (n=24) will receive 100mg lycopene daily in the form of tomato paste for 6 weeks. Several metabolic markers and biomarkers of prostate cancer progression will be investigated pre and post-intervention. Lycopene absorption will be measured in blood at baseline, 2 weeks and 6 weeks. At baseline and 6 weeks, peripheral blood mononuclear cells will be used for gene expression profiling. Tissue samples for gene expression and lycopene analysis will be obtained during biopsy (pre-intervention) and radical prostatectomy (post-intervention). The clinical trial is currently in progress (October 2012 – December 2013). A mechanistic review of the interaction of metabolic biomarkers with prostate cancer tumorigenesis and progression will be presented.

Acknowledgments: Funding provided by the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia - Sanofi Aventis Advancing Care for Prostate Cancer Patients Research Grant 2011

This abstract could form part of the Nutrition Symposium Proposal.

  1. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Prostate cancer incidence and mortality worldwide in 2008. 2008; Available from: http://globocan.iarc.fr/factsheets/cancers/prostate.asp.
  2. Wright, O., J. Bauer, and A.-C.M. Lassemillante, Nutrition and Prostate Cancer: Latest insights and practice recommendations. Cancer Forum, 2011. 35(2): 107-111.
  3. Talvas, J., Caris-Veyret, C., Guy, L. et al. Differential effects of lycopene consumed in tomato paste and lycopene in the form of a purified extract on target genes of cancer prostatic cells. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010. 91(6): p. 17