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The role of ascorbic acid in oral cancer and carcinogenesis
Author(s) -
Chan SWY,
Reade PC
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
oral diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.953
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1601-0825
pISSN - 1354-523X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1601-0825.1998.tb00268.x
Subject(s) - ascorbic acid , vitamin c , carcinogenesis , cancer , vitamin , scurvy , in vivo , hormone , in vitro , epidemiology , biology , medicine , chemistry , biochemistry , food science , microbiology and biotechnology
L‐ascorbic acid is an essential dietary vitamin in humans, primates and certain mammals and is endogenously syn‐thesised in some species. Epidemiological and ecological studies have shown that L‐ascorbic acid has a protective effect against cancer, in particular non‐hormone‐dependent malignancies, such as oropharyngeal neoplasms. Experimental in vivo and in vitro studies, however, have yielded more controversial results, suggesting that the effects of L‐ascorbic acid are dose‐ and perhaps, time‐dependent with different effects depending on the species or organ studied. An update of the epidemiological and experimental evidence linking L‐ascorbic acid to oral cancer and carcinogenesis is discussed together with a brief review of the possible mechanisms of action of L‐ascorbic acid.