Can Vitamins Can Fight Cancer?

Or Can Vitamins Can Fight Cancer?

can vitamins can fight cancer

What scientists know - and do not know - about cancer treatment with nutrients.

Hydroxyurea. Mercaptopurine. Cyclophosphamide. One thing that all cancer drugs seem to have in common is their hard to write names.

Or do they? What would you say? RE? My? These are not new luxury medicines - are pure and simple vitamins. However, when administered by scientists at high doses, some vitamins can act as medications, or work with standard anti-cancer drugs. It is still unclear whether research on this futuristic notion of chemotherapy with vitamin ever developed. But if the research is successful, chemotherapy could be easier to take - and much easier to spell.

This is what scientists have learned so far:

Fighting IN THE BLOOD

Synthetic versions of vitamins A and D appear to have promise in the treatment of myeloid leukemia, a white blood cell cancer.

The main problem is that leukemia cells proliferate white immature in the blood, displacing the normal red and white blood cells. This causes severe anemia and to understand the immune system. But thanks to a hormonal interaction, vitamins A and D seem to cultivate immature cells. Mature cells seem to stop their rapid reproduction and are able to exercise their immune system functions.

Initially the active form of vitamin D was tested at high doses, but this has the unfortunate side effect of making the body retain calcium. This could cause complications, including hardening of the vital organs and death. But the synthetic version of vitamin D has a more powerful maturation of influence on leukemia cells and a much lower calcium loading mechanism. In laboratory mouse leukemia studies, this synthetic compound got much better than vitamin D. "Some of the mice treated with synthetic D may be cured from their leukemia" results, reports H. Phillip Koeffler, MD, Professor of Medicine At UCLA and one of the leading researchers in this field.

Synthetic vitamin A has been tested in humans against leukemia, but not on a large scale. A few years ago, American researchers from several different medical centers participated in a double-blind trial of 13-cis-retinoic acid (a retinoid compound) in patients with a pre-leukemic condition called myelodysplastic syndrome. Problems with the study - including many patients who leave the trial - cast suspicion on the results, according to Dr. Koeffler.

One of the researchers, however, continued to study on its own after the end of the trial, and found a significant response. The initial trial was too short? It is difficult to say without attempting to reproduce these results. The study also showed that doctors' side effects of drying retinoid therapy can be reduced doses of vitamin E.

More reports have come from other countries. Researchers from China and France have obtained promising results using trans retinoic acid (ATRA) against acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Most of the patients in the Chinese study have been remission. A French researcher doubled his results.

Further research shows that of seven APL patients (four different studies) treated with isotretinoin, four had this "remarkable responses" was called. Clearly, there is sufficient evidence to justify both synthesized A and D surveys.

WRESTLING WITH FOLIAGE

Leucovorin is a synthetic form of vitamin B folate. It is used in combination with an anticancer drug called fluorouracil, commonly known as 5-FU. 5-FU / leucovorin is used for various cancers.

By itself, has been used 5-FU against colon cancer for over five decades. Interferes with the growth of cancer by binding to an enzyme necessary for cellular reproduction. (Some cancer cells grow much faster than normal cells, this is how some tumors develop relative to the surrounding tissue.)

Leucovorin, however, it seems to strengthen the link between 5-FU and the enzyme. The drug / vitamin combination is maintained in the enzyme for a longer period than the drug alone. This means free enzymes or slowed down stopped tumor growth.

5-FU / leucovorin proven effective against advanced and inoperable colon cancer. "This is where we hope to have a real impact on survival rates," says Susan G. Arbuck, a clinical researcher at the Roswell Park Memorial Institute in New York.

Colored guards

Colorectal polyps are easy to remove, but may reappear. This has led researchers at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Canada to test the effect of vitamin C and E on the recurrence of polyps.

Two hundred people who were free from polyps after surgery were divided into two groups. One of the daily supplements of 400 mg. Vitamin E. The other look-alikes are empty. After about two years, all patients were examined for recurrence of polyps. The researchers observed a slight decrease in the recurrence of polyps in patients receiving vitamins C and E. They stressed that more studies need to be done to rule out the possibility that it is a fortuitous discovery.

VITAMIN VS. BLOOD CANCER

Polyps of the bladder, which can become cancerous, are fairly easy to treat by surgical removal. But there is a risk of 70 percent recurrence or new polyps are formed. To avoid this, researchers at West Virginia megadoses University tested four vitamins as an adjunct to conventional therapy after bladder surgery.

Patients were divided into two groups: a group of people who take multiple vitamins at the recommended levels of daily allowances; The other group gets the same but megadoses of vitamins A, B6, C and E. Vitamin B6 has been successfully tested in previous human blabber studies. Vitamins A and C have been tested against cancer in animal studies blabber, with encouraging results at the beginning. Vitamin E has not been specifically tested against the bladder polyps before, but has shown promising results in other cancer trials.

VITAMIN FOR ORAL HEALTH

A few years ago, a report from the Cancer Research Center from British Columbia to Vancouver, announced that vitamin A could cure oral leukoplakia (pre-cancerous wounds in the mouth). The study focused on 21 people who chew betel leaves with a mixture of tobacco nuts and betel known to cause an abundance of leukoplakia. After six months of taking vitamin A supplements, 57 percent of people showed no detectable disease. And none of the chewing snuff / betel has developed new wounds while experts of vitamin A. estimate that usually only 5 percent of these wounds disappear by themselves.

Now word comes from the Clinical Cancer Center at the University of California and the University of Arizona Center that a softer form of vitamin therapy has the same cancer effect. Seventeen people who received oral baccarotene leukoplakia. Each person took 30 mg. Beta-carotene per day for three months. Those whose leukoplakia respond to treatment remained there for three months.

At the end of the study, two patients had complete remission of leukoplakia and 12 had partial remission. Of the other three, no change was shown and the other two became worse. Overall, it is a positive response rate of 82 percent.

The exciting aspect of this study is that beta-carotene, the safest source of vitamin A, was so effective. Pure vitamin is toxic at high doses, have even retinoid unpleasant side effects (mainly skin problems). But beta-carotene is practically free of problems, even at high doses. This is because the body converts only beta-carotene to vitamin A as needed at this time. The excess is eliminated without damage.

AGAINST retinoids SKIN CANCER

Several synthetic forms of vitamin A, collectively called retinoids, have been tested as treatment for cancers known as basal cell carcinoma and spinocellular skin. In different tests - only at the experimental stage - oral doses of retinoids have been effective against these cancers because the retinoids are mainly accumulated in the skin.

Most studies to date have been weak, but the results are encouraging. These skin cancers, like all other retinoids have been used against, it is unlikely to come back on itself. Thus, researchers believe that despite their tests are preliminary and have no control group, retinoids are probably responsible for the positive effects.

Eretetinate and retinoids isotretinoin have been used to treat basal cell carcinoma. In three separate studies out of a total of 56 individuals, 23 showed partial regression of cancer (tumor decreased) and five showed complete regression (disappeared). This is an overall response rate of 50 percent, which means that half of the people experienced a decrease in the number or size of tumors.

Retinoids have also been tested against malignant melanoma, a severe form of skin cancer. Preliminary results from a small study of 20 people with advanced melanoma showed tumor narrowing in three. It is far from a cure, but it is a glimmer of hope against a type of cancer that has been resistant to drugs.

A rare skin cancer called fungus mycosis has shown a good response to treatment with retinoids. Five preliminary studies, a total of 78 people with the disease were put on isotretinoin orally. More than half showed at least one partial response.

Once treatment is completed, however, many cancers have returned. This suggests that may be necessary for regular doses of retinoids to "cure". Among other things, doctors are currently conducting studies to determine the best maintenance dose: one that minimizes drying of the skin and mucous membranes, the main side effect.

The researchers have more chance with oral retinoids against squamous cell carcinoma. In four small studies, a total of 14 patients with squamous cells were treated with etretinate (4 patients), isotretinoin (9) or arotinoid (1). Six of 14 had partial remission (reduction in tumor size) or temporary remission (tumors declined or stopped growing for a short period of time); 4 others had complete and sustainable squamous cell tumors remissions. This adds up to the 71 percent response in a small sample duly recognized.

Both basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are relatively easy to cure with surgical removal (used in 90 per cent of cases), radiotherapy or destruction of tissue with extreme heat or cold. So why all those retinoid stories?

Surgery and other therapies that destroy tissue leave scars. This is not a big problem for a person with a tumor on the back of a hand. But most people with cancer have tumors in various areas of the body that are regularly exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun that induce the tumor: not only the hands but also the head and neck.

The retinoids do not leave scars: the tumors shrink and the tissues normal fills. This is particularly useful in advanced disease. "After six months of treatment with isotretinoin, the neck tumor was reduced to a small flat lesion, and a nasal tumor had decreased by 70 percent, with preliminary reconstruction of its all-but abrasive tumor," said Scott M Lippman, MD, of the Department of Hematology and Oncology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas.

WHAT'S GOOD NEWS

Chemotherapy with vitamins is a seductive idea The ultimate goal is an effective treatment of natural cancer without pain or minimal costs. But it's not that simple.

Scientists are all packed to see if any of these treatments have proven effective. And even for the vitamins that demonstrate the greatest potential, dosage issues and side effects they need to be resolved.

Also note that several therapies with vitamins do not use pure vitamins. Leucovorin and isotrtinoin are synthetic folate chemicals and vitamin A, respectively. Slight changes in the chemical industry make the treatment more effective and / or reduce dangerous side effects observed in the high dose of original vitamin. These synthetic vitamins are sufficiently different to be treated as medications by the US Food and Drug Administration where they are available only on prescription.

Until scientists nailed the facts, it is best to go with what we know. Go for tested medical treatments. It was suspected that the cancer was examined by a doctor. And try a good defense: There is strong scientific evidence that a healthy diet can help prevent the onset of certain cancers. To use this proof to your maximum benefit, a well-balanced nutrient-rich diet that is low in fat. This includes low-fat meat and poultry, fish, whole grains and generous amounts of fruits and vegetables. If you are on a restricted diet - or need extra safety you get the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals - you may want to consider taking a multiple supplement.