Three recent studies related to cancer diagnosis and treatment, including alternative treatments, contain solid, meaningful research. That’s this week’s focus.

The first study was published in the journal Cell. The title is the best way to describe the paper: “Vitamin C May Encourage Blood Cancer Stem Cells to Die.” The biochemistry in this paper is complicated, but here are the main points. In some forms of leukemia, there are genetic mutations which prevent cancer stem cells from maturing and dying. These stem cells should naturally die, but the mutation aids production of an enzyme that causes the stem cell to mature.

In a study on mice engineered to have that same mutation, researchers found that an infusion of vitamin C caused the cancer stem cells with the mutation to be turned on, producing the enzyme and causing the cancer stem cells to die. That keeps the bone marrow healthy as they produce all types of blood cells.

This is fascinating research but it’s just an initial phase; it doesn’t apply to every form of leukemia or every type of cancer. But this is the type of research that may result in better treatments in the future.

I know many of you have seen the headline on vitamin B6 and B12 and lung cancer; I have the paper and am reviewing it. I’ll write about it next week, so don’t throw out your B vitamins or energy drinks just yet.

What are you prepared to do today?

Dr. Chet

Reference: Cell, DOI: 10.1026/j.cell.2017.07.032.