Could Vitamin C Help Stop Leukemia Before It Starts?

Scientists are examining whether bring back vitamin C levels can affect the biology of early blood conditions before leukemia establishes.

A scientific trial recommends that fixing vitamin C shortage might benefit individuals with particular blood conditions that can precede leukemia.

Arise from the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled stage 2 EVITA trial discovered that individuals who took 1,000 mg of oral vitamin C everyday for one year experienced less unfavorable occasions throughout the research study and follow-up duration than those provided a placebo.

The research study, led by the Van Andel Institute-Stand As Much As Cancer Epigenetics Dream Team, consisted of 109 individuals with clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance (CCUS) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), both of which can advance to intense myeloid leukemia (AML).

A possible survival signal

The findings, released in the American Cancer Society journal CANCER, likewise revealed that vitamin C altered levels of cytokines, particles associated with swelling and immune signaling. The modifications were related to more beneficial results and might suggest that vitamin C impacts paths associated with irregular blood cell development.

Scientists did not discover a considerable distinction in between the vitamin C and placebo groups in the growth of irregular blood cell clones, a procedure utilized to track development towards leukemia.

An exploratory analysis discovered that after about 3 years of follow-up, individuals who got vitamin C were considerably more most likely to be alive than those provided a placebo. Since this outcome originated from an exploratory analysis in a reasonably little stage 2 trial, it requires to be validated in a bigger stage 3 research study.

“We are enormously thrilled and very carefully positive that our outcomes might one day equate into a basic method to enhance care and results for individuals with pre-leukemia conditions,” stated Peter A. Jones, Ph.D., D.Sc. (hon), a prominent teacher at Van Andel Institute, co-corresponding author of the research study and co-leader of the VAI– SU2C Epigenetics Dream Team. “Our technique shows a growing focus on cancer interception– stepping in before cancer ends up being recognized. We are working to develop on the trial findings by checking out how precisely vitamin C communicates with pre-cancerous cells, consisting of the concept that it might assist bring back regular epigenetic function in blood cells at threat of ending up being leukemia.”

Why vitamin C might matter

Over half of the individuals were vitamin C lacking when the trial started. Blood screening revealed that vitamin C levels stabilized in those appointed to supplements.

Vitamin C has functions beyond immune function and injury recovery. It likewise supports enzymes associated with epigenetic guideline, which manages gene activity without altering the underlying DNA series.

One essential enzyme is TET2. Anomalies in TET2 prevail in leukemia and associated blood conditions and can offer irregular blood-forming cells a development benefit. Lab and animal research studies have actually recommended that vitamin C can support staying TET activity and might restrict some cancer-related cellular modifications.

Earlier research studies typically checked intravenous vitamin C, which produces much greater blood concentrations than oral supplements. EVITA rather took a look at whether an everyday oral dosage might remedy vitamin C shortage and impact early illness biology.

A choice for clients with couple of preventive treatments

There is presently no authorized treatment particularly developed to avoid CCUS from advancing to leukemia. MDS can in some cases be treated with stem cell hair transplant, however age and other health conditions might make the treatment inappropriate for numerous clients.

“The basic technique for clients with pre-cancer blood conditions is to monitor their blood cell counts with time. This is, naturally, really aggravating– nobody wishes to hear that they have a condition that increases leukemia danger, however there’s absolutely nothing that can be done besides watch and wait,” stated Casey O’Connell, M.D., FACP, the Lawrence and Jane Kelly Chair in Hematology at the University of Southern California and lead clinician for USC’s trial website. “The EVITA trial handled this difficulty by checking out vitamin C’s capacity to resolve the hidden elements that drive leukemia advancement.”

The global research study was led by Kirsten Grønbæk, M.D., Ph.D., a hematologist, member of the VAI– SU2C Epigenetics Dream Team, and teacher at the University of Copenhagen.

“These interesting initial findings prepared for a bigger medical trial to check out vitamin C as a possible method to enhance client results,” stated Grønbæk. “It is prematurely to make conclusive suggestions based upon our outcomes, however we are enthusiastic that a more extensive research study will offer more insights.”

Scientists are continuing to examine the trial information, consisting of biological systems that might assist discuss the survival distinction in between the groups.

Recommendation: “Oral vitamin C supplements in clients with clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance or lower-risk myeloid malignancies: Results from EVITA, a stage 2 randomized, placebo-controlled trial” by Stine Ulrik Mikkelsen, Ali Al-Mousawi, Amalie Bach Puglisi, Anders Pommer Vallentin, Astrid Østergaard Mortensen, Zachary Madaj, Toshinori Hinoue, Heidi Naomi Ottesen, Jakob Schmidt Jespersen, Linn Gillberg, Morten Tulstrup, Niels Richard Hansen, Jakob Werner Hansen, Mette Klarskov Andersen, Stacey Lyn Thomas, Christine Isaguirre, Ryan Sheldon, Marie Adams, Ryan Burgos, Stephen Baylin, Bo Kok Mortensen, Casey Lee O’Connell, Marianne Tang Severinsen, Peter William Laird, Jens Lykkesfeldt, Peter Jones and Kirsten Grønbæk, 21 September 2026, Cancer
DOI: 10.1002/ cncr.70549

Financing: Van Andel Institute through the Van Andel Institute– Stand Up To Cancer ® Epigenetics Dream Team, Danish Cancer Society, Greater Copenhagen Health Science Partners

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