Skin cancer comes in a variety of forms: basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma and together are the most common form of cancer in the United States. Skin cancer is associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation from either the sun or artificial forms, such as tanning booths.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin also known as ascorbic acid. It is a vitamin necessary for repair in the human body. Vitamin C is a known antioxidant which, can prevent damage from the production of free radicals. The National Cancer Institute recommends eating a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables a day to reduce the incidence of all cancers.
Melanoma
Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer. Lee and colleagues in the "Journal of Cell Physiology," in the July 2008 issue showed that vitamin C could inhibit the growth of melanoma cells in the laboratory. However, a study in the "Journal of Nutrition" in September 2007 showed that women who took supplements of antioxidant vitamins and minerals showed a higher incidence of melanoma compared to the control group. Though the same was not seen for men.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma rarely spreads, but it can cause local destruction to nearby tissues. Some have suggested that application of vitamin C to basal cell carcinoma can treat the cancer. However, the role of vitamin C in preventing skin cancer, and the association of vitamin C supplementation with skin cancer remains unclear.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin is the second most common form of skin cancer, and like other skin cancers is associated with exposure to the sun. Ibiebele and colleagues in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," in May 2007 showed that a diet high in vegetables and fruit reduced the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
Treatment
It has been proposed for many decades that vitamin C may play a role in treating cancer. Laboratory studies have indicated a potential role in preventing the growth of some skin cancer cells. However, treatment in patients remains unclear, though a diet rich in fruit and vegetables does reduce the risk of some skin cancers.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Prevention
- "Journal of Cell Physiology"; Vitamin C Suppresses Proliferation of the Human Melanoma Cell SK-Mel 2 Through the Inhibiton of Cyclooxygenase -2 (COX-2) Expression and the Modulation of Insulin-Like Growth Factor II (IGF-II) Production; SK Lee et al; July 2008
- "Journal of Nutrition"; Anioxidant Supplementation Increases the Risk of Skin Cancers in Women But Not Men; Hercberg S et al.; September 2007
- Orthomolecular. org: Topical Vitamin C Stops Basal Cell Carcinoma
- "Cancer Epidemiology Buomarkers and Prevention"; Role of Dietary Factors in The Development of Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Cancer of the Skin; McNaughton SA, et al.; July 2005
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Dietary Pattern in Association with Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Skin: A Prospective Study; Ibiebele TI et al.; May 2007
