title: Cancer chemoprevention by carotenoids.
abstract: Carotenoids are natural fat-soluble pigments that provide bright coloration to plants and animals. Dietary intake of carotenoids is inversely associated with the risk of a variety of cancers in different tissues. Preclinical studies have shown that some carotenoids have potent antitumor effects both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting potential preventive and/or therapeutic roles for the compounds. Since chemoprevention is one of the most important strategies in the control of cancer development, molecular mechanism-based cancer chemoprevention using carotenoids seems to be an attractive approach. Various carotenoids, such as β-carotene, a-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, fucoxanthin, canthaxanthin and astaxanthin, have been proven to have anti-carcinogenic activity in several tissues, although high doses of β-carotene failed to exhibit chemopreventive activity in clinical trials. In this review, cancer prevention using carotenoids are reviewed and the possible mechanisms of action are described.
authors.affiliation: Tohkai Cytopathology Institute, Cancer Research and Prevention-TCI-CaRP, 5-1-2 Minami-Uzura, Gifu 500-8285, Japan. takutt@toukaisaibou.co.jp
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shnimizu
authors.forename: Hisataka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moriwaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018890:Chemoprevention; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014675:Vegetables / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D002338:Carotenoids