The interaction of vitamins with cancer chemotherapy

playinthegrowth and development of the cancer cell is understood only in certain instances. For example, methotrexate—which is actually a folateantivitamin—is effectively used as a chemotherapeutic agent and its toxic actions arewellcontrolled byleucovorin, a folate vitamin.1 However,thereiscon flicting evidenceand relatively little known aboutthe importanceof such critical vitamins as cholecalciferol, ascor bic acid, niacin, pyridoxine, thiamine and riboflavin, to mention only a few. Many studies on nutrition i cancermake spe cial efforts to relate the protein content ofthedietocancergrowthandimmune capacity of the host, but fail to investi gate the specific influence of vitamin con tent or deficiency, which may be of equal importance.2 (There are those who in vent dubious vitamin substances or are advocates of“¿ megavitamin therapy― for cancerwithoutfirmscientific orclinical basis.3) In the past ten years impressive experimental data have accumulated re lating vitamins to the induction of can cer by carcinogens and the course of malignant disease.4-7