Vitamin C and cancer treatment
29 Jul, 2010
Source: University of Otago
Scientists at the University of Otago School of Medicine say they have proof of a link between vitamin C and the successful treatment of cancer.
Their research shows that, when vitamin C is introduced to a tumour, it can decrease in size and lose its resistance to treatments aimed at getting rid of the cancer, like chemotherapy.
“It will slow the growth rate of the tumour. It will also make those cancer cells more likely to respond to chemotherapy and regular therapies,” says Associate Professor Margreet Vissers.
The scientists have discovered that the protein that helps cancerous tumours to thrive can be killed off by plain old vitamin C.
“This is a mechanism that will apply to all solid tumours, and there's even an indication it would apply to haematological tumours like, say, leukaemia,” Dr Vissers says.
Leukaemia is a haematological cancer or cancer that gets into your blood.
Now doctors have to find the best ways to get vitamin C to the tumour – increasing the quantity of vitamin C in the diet is just a start.
“Tumours have very poor access to the blood supply so they might have trouble getting access to the vitamin C,” Dr Visser says.
Dietician Krystal Somner says the study is a reminder of the general benefits of vitamin C – not just for cancer patients.
“Going with your ‘5 plus a day’ is very beneficial, and having them of all different colours is a great way of getting all your vitamin C,” Ms Somner says.
The scientists also believe that a diet rich in vitamin C can help prevent cancer from taking hold at all – yet another reason not to bypass the veggie section at the supermarket.
The Otago University scientists’ research has recently been published in the prestigious Cancer Research journal.
