Abstract:

Through an extensive review of the literature, this article attempts to demonstrate the relationship between
carotenoids and cancer risk. These studies were conducted on the multiple levels such as molecular, cellular, animal,
clinical and epidemiological levels. Conclusions made from these studies can be outlined as: an increased amount of diets
rich in carotenoids was able to have an influence on biological and biochemical processes involved in the development of
cell growth dysregulation and carcinogenesis and reduced the risk of cancer. However, this conclusion was not analogous
between cancers. Anyway, it has a practical significance for dietary carotenoid-induced cancer risk reduction. Due to the
poor reliability of epidemiological study and difference between animal and clinical trails, this conclusion is going to be
questionable on a long way to conquer cancer.

Key words: carotenoid, cancer, dietary pattern, intake, preventive effect