The research – just published in the prestigious Cancer Research journal – shows that when Vitamin C is introduced to a tumour it can decrease in size and lose it's resistance to 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 Visser.
The scientists have discovered 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 Visser says.
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 that Vitamin C anyway,” Dr Vissers 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 ‘five 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 also help prevent cancer from taking hold at all – yet another reason not to by pass the produce department at the supermarket.
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Please click here to go to the University of Otago research report |
