Vitamins and Cancer Risk: A Comprehensive Review of Epidemiologic and Clinical Evidence - PubMed
2 hours ago
- #vitamins
- #supplementation
- #cancer risk
- Vitamins have complex roles in cancer, with evidence showing both anticancer mechanisms and potential harms.
- Some vitamins demonstrate anticancer effects: Vitamin K2 induces autophagy-driven leukemia cell death; high-dose vitamin C kills KRAS/BRAF-mutant colorectal cancer cells; niacin alters the tumor immune microenvironment; vitamin D boosts microbiome-dependent antitumor immunity.
- Potential harms include beta-carotene increasing lung cancer risk in smokers, vitamin E raising prostate cancer risk, and antioxidants possibly reducing chemotherapy/radiotherapy efficacy.
- Dose-response relationships are often U-shaped, with both deficiency and excess linked to higher risk.
- Therapeutic strategies like high-dose intravenous vitamin C, vitamin D during immunotherapy, and vitamin-targeted nanoparticles are promising but require further validation.
- Benefits are context-dependent; routine supplementation is not supported, but correcting deficiencies is crucial.
- Individualized approaches and rigorous trials are needed to determine when vitamins are beneficial or harmful in cancer care.