Effect of vitamins C and E on cancer survival; a systematic review

Abstract

Purpose Association between vitamins C (VC)/ E (VE) and cancer survival is inconsistent. This systematic review is aimed to summarize trials for effects of VC/VE on cancer survival.

Methods Relevant English trials were retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus databases, and Clinicaltrials.gov through 21/June/2022. Inclusion criteria were all trials which assessed sole/combinations intake of VC/VE on survival rate, mortality, or remission of any cancer. Exclusion criteria were observational and animal studies.

Results We reached 30 trials conducted on 38,936 patients with various cancers. Due to severe methodological heterogeneity, meta-analysis was impossible. High dose VC + chemotherapy or radiation was safe with an overall survival (OS) 182 days -21.5 months. Sole oral or intravenous high dose VC was safe with non-significant change in OS (2.9-8.2 months). VE plus chemotherapy was safe, resulted in stabling diseases for 5 years in 70-86.7% of patients and OS 109 months. It was found 60% and 16% non-significant reductions in adjusted hazard ratio (HR) deaths or recurrence by 200 mg/d tocotrienol + tamoxifen in breast cancer, respectively. Sole intake of 200-3200 mg/d tocotrienol before resectable pancreatic cancer was safe and significantly increased cancer cells' apoptosis.

Combination VC and VE was non-significantly reduced 7% in rate of neoplastic gastric polyp. Conclusion Although our study is supported improvement of survival and progression rates of cancers by VC/VE, more high quality trials with large sample sizes are required to confirm.