is there any anti-cancer fruit

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Request for Question Clarification by endo-ga on 09 Dec 2003 09:05 PST

Hi,

There are some studies that have shown reduced cancer risks for the
intake of given fruit, but I don't think any fruit can cure cancer. Is
this what you're looking for?

Thanks.
endo

The Council for Biotechnology Information has some information about
tomatoes (a fruit or vegetable) with anti-cancer properties.

The basis behind this property is that these genetically modified
tomatoes have more lycopene, which is believed to help prevent cancer.

This tomato has not been released for public consumption as of yet.
However, natural tomatoes have lycopene (though not as much as the GM
ones).

Studies have shown that consumping more fruits and vegetables reduces
the risk of cancer. For an example, see my last link (below).

For more information, read:
"Cancer-Fighting Tomato Tops America's 2002 Best in Biotech"
http://www.whybiotech.com/index.asp?id=2243

"The Story of Lycopene"
"A genetically enhanced tomato that boosts healthful lycopene in
tomatoes could reduce cancer risks."
http://whybiotech.ca/canada-english.asp?id=3727

"Tomato packs more cancer-fighting punch"
http://news.uns.purdue.edu/hp/Handa.lycopene.html

"Future Foods"
"Agricultural biotechnology can be used to develop fresher and
better-tasting fruits and vegetables that can help fight disease"
http://whybiotech.ca/canada-english.asp?id=3347
N.B. This article also mentions anti-oxidants in foods.

Scholarly journal articles:

Integr Cancer Ther. 2002 Jun;1(2):121-32; discussion 132.
"Can the consumption of tomatoes or lycopene reduce cancer risk?"
For the abstract, view here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14664737&dopt=Abstract

View the abstract here:
Laryngoscope. 2003 Sep;113(9):1487-93.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12972921&dopt=Abstract
Summary of this article: Persons having developed cancer and been
treated for it consumed less Vitamins A, C, and E (found in fruits and
vegetables) than average. An inference that may be drawn from this
study is that eating more fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of
developing cancer. To quote from the Abstract of this article:
"Because increased fruit and vegetable intake, but not vitamin
supplementation exceeding RDA, is associated with reduced cancer risk,
physicians may consider recommending at least five daily servings of
fruits and vegetables as an alternative to vitamin supplementation."

Int J Cancer. 2004 Jan 10;108(2):269-76.
View the abstract here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14639614&dopt=Abstract
Summary of this article: Eating more fruits and vegetables correlates
with a lower incidence of lung cancer. Not smoking, however, has a
much greater effect on preventing lung cancer than eating fruits and
vegetables.

I hope this offers a comprehensive answer to your brief question.

- supermacman-ga


Search strategy

cancer
tomato cancer
PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed):
fruit cancer, antioxidants

A number of fruits have been recently shown to be high in
anti-oxidants, which MAY help prevent cancer.

The three that spring instantly to mind are tomatoes, red wine
(grapes) and pomegranates.  Especially pomegranates - I think there
was a study released just in the last few weeks that got a lot of
press. . .you can probably find that out easily and save yourself $2

As for a cure, if fruit cured cancer I'm sure we'd all know by now.