Cancer treatment and prevention
Since 1970, it has been recognised that high levels of vitamin C confer survival benefits to cancer patients with terminal disease. Vitamin C is being studied as a potential cancer treatment because pharmacologic concentrations of vitamin C may have promising effects on tumour treatments. Vitamin C can function as a pro-oxidant and aid in the production of hydrogen peroxide to catalyse free radicals to prevent oxidative stress.
The administration of high doses of vitamin C can increase the odds of survival for patients with advanced cancer. The persistent assault on DNA by free reactive oxygen species is thought to be the cause of cancer. As a natural physiological antioxidant, vitamin C prevents any potential DNA damage at sites of pre-neoplastic lesions and chronic inflammation. However, the majority of recovery from DNA damage occurs metabolically, and mutational events are possible due to the constant levels of oxidation.
