ABSTRACT
Our interest on the subject of dietary carotenoids and the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system stems from two basic observations. First, IGF-I is an important risk factor in several major cancers and second, the activity of this complex growth factor system can be modulated by various dietary regimes. In this short review we will examine the evidence on the interference of lycopene and other carotenoids with the activity of the IGF system and describe the data supporting further human studies of the long-term effects of dietary carotenoids that may provide a basis for a preventive strategy for some malignancies.
