# Lycopene

Source: https://onco.cc/technologies/lycopene/  
OnCo record `lycopene` (Technology). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Lycopene is the red pigment in tomatoes, sold as a supplement to prevent prostate cancer. People who eat more tomatoes have lower rates of some cancers, but trials of lycopene supplements have not shown that they prevent or treat prostate cancer.

## Summary

Lycopene is a carotenoid that, unlike beta-carotene, is not converted to vitamin A. Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs summary reports that observational studies associate higher lycopene intake with lower risk of several cancers, especially prostate, but that supplementation trials do not show prevention: lycopene or tomato-based regimens did not prevent prostate cancer; a lycopene-rich extract gave no benefit in men with high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia; and high doses of lycopene combined with green tea catechins and selenium were associated with more prostate cancer. Results in men with prostate cancer are variable, and an early report of docetaxel plus lycopene in castration-resistant disease needs testing in a proper trial. MSK notes poor quality control: in six commercial brands, lycopene content differed from the label by up to 43 per cent. Lycopene is generally safe; very high intake from tomato products can turn the skin orange. Eating tomatoes as part of a plant-rich diet is reasonable; capsules have no proven advantage.

## Fields

- Kind: Technology
- Status: phase-2
- Last checked: 2026-11-04
- Also known as: Non-provitamin A carotenoid
- Tags: complementary; supportive-care; evidence:insufficient
- Principle: An antioxidant carotenoid that concentrates in prostate tissue; the link between dietary intake and lower risk may reflect overall diet rather than lycopene itself.
- Strengths: Safe as food; Consistent observational associations
- Limitations: Supplement trials did not prevent prostate cancer; Combination with selenium and green tea associated with more cancer in one trial; Labelled doses unreliable

## Sources

- MSK About Herbs: Lycopene (page last updated 6 May 2022): https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/lycopene
- NCI PDQ: Prostate cancer, nutrition and dietary supplements: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/prostate-supplements-pdq

## Connected records

- technologies: [Chemoprevention & risk-reducing surgery](https://onco.cc/technologies/chemoprevention/), [Evidence-based integrative oncology](https://onco.cc/technologies/integrative-oncology/), [Mediterranean and plant-forward dietary patterns](https://onco.cc/technologies/mediterranean-plant-forward-diet/), [PC-SPES](https://onco.cc/technologies/pc-spes/), [Selenium supplements](https://onco.cc/technologies/selenium-supplements/)
- cancers: [Prostate cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/prostate/)
- fronts: [Diet, Exercise & Lifestyle](https://onco.cc/fronts/nutrition-lifestyle/), [Prevention & Risk](https://onco.cc/fronts/prevention/), [Supportive Care & Survivorship](https://onco.cc/fronts/supportive-care/)
- bottlenecks: [Misinformation and unproven therapies](https://onco.cc/bottlenecks/b-misinformation/)

---
JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/lycopene.json