Is Vitamin C the New Cancer Cure?

The benefits of herbs and vitamins have been known for centuries, with an emphasis on vitamin C for the benefit of the body's immune system. The ideas of one twentieth century scientist have evolved into a controversial theory that vitamin C can be an effective treatment for cancer.

History

• Vitamin C was first used as a treatment for cancer in the 1970's by Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling. Pauling believed that the antioxidant properties of vitamin C were capable of stopping cancer from spreading, rendering it an effective treatment for all stages of cancer.

  Pauling conducted a study of hundreds of terminally ill cancer patients in which vitamin C was administered routinely each day. His studies showed that terminally ill patients who consumed vitamin C each day lived an average life span of more than three times the usual length.

Theory

• Some John's Hopkins scientists have sought to explain and test Pauling's theory, either proving or disproving vitamin C's cancer curing capabilities. The theory is that the antioxidant properties of vitamin C will help to eliminate free radicals that are produced by certain forms of cancer. These free radicals are damaging to the body's DNA. Vitamin C not only slows cancer from growth, but it also boosts the body's immune system, allowing it to fight harder against cancer cells.

Speculation

• The Mayo Clinic disputed Pauling's theory by testing it in the late 1970's. They conducted two studies, both under controlled circumstances, to test the effects of vitamin C on a cancer patient. In both studies, there was no reasonable proof that vitamin C had any effect on the lifespan of the patient or the growth of cancer cells.

  However, the Mayo Clinic introduced the vitamin C orally only, whereas Pauling and his partner administered it both orally and intravenously. Intravenous vitamin C is shown to have a greater influence than vitamin C taken by mouth.

Considerations

• Because the Mayo Clinic's clinical trials were proved inaccurate, curiosity has again been raised in the possibility of vitamin C being a treatment for cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, studies at the University of Kansas Medical Center have had positive, yet not definitive results. However, a study from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center showed that vitamin C in combination with chemotherapy had negative effects, allowing tumors to grow bigger.

Warning

• Cancer should not be treated without the aid of a medical professional. While vitamin C is proven beneficial to the body's ability to fight disease, there is not enough adequate research to determine whether or not vitamin C is appropriate as an alternative cancer treatment. A cancer patient should consider his options and inquire about them with an oncologist.