In the present study, we found that lycopene induced apoptosis of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells by decreasing intracellular and mitochondrial ROS levels, and consequently inhibiting NF-κB activation and expression of NF-κB target genes such as cIAP1, cIAP2, and survivin. This evidence concerns the gene BIRC3 and familial pancreatic carcinoma.