Study says vitamin C can prevent cancer.
A New Zealand research team claims to have uncovered first evidence of vitamin’s active role in cancer prevention and treatment
Previous research by Professor Vissers demonstrated the vitamin’s importance in maintaining cell health, but only hinted at its potential for limiting diseases such as cancer.
The new study investigated whether the cancer cells in the wombs of female patients had low vitamin C levels and whether this correlated with tumour aggressiveness and resistance to chemotherapy.
Professor Vissers and her colleagues found that the tumours were less able to accumulate vitamin C compared with normal healthy tissue, and that this related to the ability of the tumour to survive and grow.
Tumours with low vitamin C levels had more of a protein called HIF-1, which allows them to thrive in conditions of stress.
"The findings are significant as they show, for the first time, a direct relationship between HIF-1 and vitamin C levels in tumours and suggest it would be beneficial for people with cancer cells to have more vitamin C," Professor Vissers commented.
"This could help limit the rate of tumour growth, increase the responsiveness to chemotherapy and may prevent the formation of solid tumours," she added.