Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40947698›Full record

ReviewCurrent medicinal chemistry2026

Harnessing Vitamin C: Unveiling Its Potential in Cancer Prevention and Treatment.

Antara Roy, Dilip K Maiti, Bimal Krishna Banik

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Current medicinal chemistry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Antara RoyDepartment of Chemistry, University of Calcutta, 92 A. P. C. Road, Kolkata, 700009, India.
Dilip K MaitiDepartment of Chemistry, University of Calcutta, 92 A. P. C. Road, Kolkata, 700009, India.
Bimal Krishna BanikDepartment of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, College of Sciences and Human Studies, Deanship of Research Development, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The strong antioxidant vitamin C has been researched for its potential use in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Scavenging free radicals and lowering oxidative stress, which is essential in carcinogenesis, helps to protect cells. Excessive levels of vitamin C can produce hydrogen peroxide and selectively kill cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment by exerting pro-oxidant effects. Normal cells might be spared, indicating a possible window for treatment. Additionally, vitamin C affects important cellular functions that contribute to the development of tumors, including angiogenesis, inflammation, immune response modulation, and epigenetic regulation. Sensitizing tumor cells or shielding healthy tissue from harm caused by treatment may increase the effectiveness of traditional cancer treatments. Recent clinical investigations have revisited the use of high-dose intravenous vitamin C in both monotherapy and combination regimens. While some trials report improvements in quality of life, reduced chemotherapy side effects, and extended survival in specific cancer types, robust evidence of a consistent anticancer effect remains lacking due to variability in study design, cancer type, dosing protocols, and patient populations. Nonetheless, these studies have renewed interest in understanding the pharmacodynamics and clinical utility of vitamin C in oncology. Vitamin C should be considered an investigational approach rather than a standard component of cancer therapy. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the biochemical properties of Vitamin C, its anticancer mechanisms, experimental evidence, clinical data, controversies, and future directions.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsAntioxidantsAscorbic AcidNeoplasmsAnimalsHumansOxidative StressAntineoplastic AgentsAntioxidantsAscorbic Acidantioxidantcancerchemotherapeutic agentscytotoxicityreactive oxygen speciesVitamin C

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.