Vitamin A, retinoids and carotenoids as chemopreventive agents for prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Evidence is examined for the use of vitamin A, retinoids and carotenoids as chemopreventive agents for prostate cancer.


METHODS
Studies in in vitro and animal experimental models as well as in human observational (epidemiologic) and experimental studies are reviewed.


RESULTS
There is little evidence that dietary vitamin A is associated with prostate cancer risk and, thus, it is unlikely that vitamin A or retinyl palmitate, the form most often used in dietary supplements, would be useful as chemoprevention agents. Several pharmaceutical formulations of retinoids show cancer prevention properties in animal experimental models but their high toxicity makes them unlikely candidates for cancer prevention. There is also currently no evidence that dietary carotenoids (except for lycopene and possibly other bioactive compounds found in tomato products) will be useful for prostate cancer prevention. Epidemiological and experimental studies show no association of beta-carotene with prostate cancer risk. There is inconsistent though intriguing evidence from epidemiological studies that tomato products and/or lycopene is associated with reduced prostate cancer risk. However, animal experimental studies of lycopene and prostate cancer are not strongly supportive, and the results of human experimental studies are not interpretable due to poor design.


CONCLUSIONS
There is currently no evidence that vitamin A, synthetic retinoids or carotenoids can be used as prostate cancer chemopreventive agents. Experimental studies are needed to determine whether lycopene or other compounds in tomatoes have chemopreventive properties.
Kristal
Alan R
AR
Cnacer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Program, Seattle, Washington 98109-1024, USA. akristal@fhcrc.org
D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D000077276:Lycopene; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012176:Retinoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000627:therapeutic use
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D012176:Retinoids; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene