Brain Tumor and Lycopene Supplementation
The beneficial affects of lycopene for prostate cancer have been well established in clinical trials but not for brain cancer. This study presented in the journal Neurology India involved a sample size of 50 patients with brain tumors that were chosen for this randomized placebo control study. All patients underwent surgery followed by adjuvant radiotherapy. Along with this treatment, patients were then given either lycopene or placebo. Patients receiving oral lycopene exhibited significant elevations in lycopene levels and demonstrated a higher response rate to the overall cancer therapy and a longer time to progression. The authors of the study concluded that “Addition of nutritional supplements such as lycopene may have potential therapeutic benefit in the adjuvant management of high-grade gliomas.”1
