Vitamin C and Cancer

Abstract

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid has been proposed as an anticancer agent, as an intervention to reduce cancer incidence, and also as a medication to reduce cancer treatment-related side effects. While there has been significant basic science research that has evaluated the potential tumoricidal mechanisms of action, clinical studies have been underpowered, retrospective, or poorly designed. Current systematic reviews have suggested that the outcome data from vitamin C therapy is limited. There is an important need for prospective clinical trials and pharmacologic studies to fully evaluate the potential of vitamin C as an anticancer agent.

Keywords

• vitamin C
• ascorbic acid
• complementary and alternative therapy
• cancer therapeutics