GASTRIC CANCER

FOLIC ACID
Animal Study

1. Doses of folic acid (20 mg/day for 15 months) was given to dogs at the same time as they were given a gastric cancer carcinogen. In the group not given folic acid, all dogs developed gastric cancer whereas only 3 of 8 developed cancer in the treated group.

Gut. 2002 Jan;50(1):61-4. 
Interventional study of high dose folic acid in gastric carcinogenesis in beagles.
Xiao SD, Meng XJ, Shi Y, Hu YB, Zhu SS, Wang CW.
PMID: 11772968

SELENIUM
(1 microgram = 0.001 milligrams)

2. Doses of selenium (200 micrograms/day) and zinc (21 mg/day) may improve the “general condition” of patients with gastric cancer.

Eur J Clin Nutr. 2001 Apr;55(4):293-7. 
Effects of selenium and zinc supplementation on nutritional status in patients with cancer of digestive tract.
Federico A, Iodice P, Federico P, Del Rio A, Mellone MC, Catalano G, Federico P.
PMID: 11360134

Animal Study
(ppm = parts per million)

3. Doses of selenium (8 ppm) in drinking water decreased incidence of intestinal cancer in rats injected with a carcinogen.

Dis Colon Rectum. 1996 Jun;39(6):628-31. 
Effect of selenium on 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced intestinal cancer in rats.
Jao SW, Shen KL, Lee W, Ho YS.
PMID: 8646947

VITAMIN C
(1 gram = 1000 milligrams)
Animal Study

4. Daily treatment with vitamin C (30 mg per kilogram body weight) for 12 months reduced oxidative stress and the incidence of gastric tumors in rats that had gastric cancer induced prior to treatment with vitamin C. All untreated animals developed gastric cancer.

World J Gastroenterol. 2003 Mar;9(3):446-8
Protective effect of ascorbic acid in experimental gastric cancer: reduction of oxidative stress.
Oliveira CP, Kassab P, Lopasso FP, Souza HP, Janiszewski M, Laurindo FR, Iriya K, Laudanna AA.

5. Treatment with ascorbic acid (1 gram/4 times/day) for 4 weeks before, during and after vagotomy reduced the levels of nitrite and N-nitroso in patients at high risk for developing gastric cancer.

IARC Sci Publ. 1991;(105):139-42.
Effect of ascorbic acid on the intragastric environment in patients at increased risk of developing gastric cancer.
Reed PI, Johnston BJ, Walters CL, Hill MJ.

6. A dose of ascorbic acid (1 gram) reduces the concentration of gastric N-nitroso compounds which are cancer causing agents.

Cancer Surv. 1989;8(2):423-42.
N-nitroso compound formation in human gastric juice.
Kyrtopoulos SA.

7. Patients with gastric and esophageal cancer had low blood levels of ascorbic acid which was corrected with 1.5 grams ascorbic acid for 7 days. Those receiving ascorbic acid had fewer postoperative complications.

Vopr Onkol. 1989;35(4):436-41
[The role of ascorbic acid in the combined preoperative preparation of cancer patients]
[Article in Russian]
Gorozhanskaia EG, Gromova EG, Sviridova SP.

Animal Study

8. Treatment with vitamin C (400 mg per liter) with or without vitamin A (40,000 IU) and vitamin E (0.5 grams) inhibited the development of gastric tumors in rats when they were given a carcinogen at the same time as the supplements.

J Cancer Res Clin Oncol.  1986;112(3):272-5. 
The effect of antioxidants on MNNG-induced stomach carcinogenesis in rats.
Balansky RM, Blagoeva PM, Mircheva ZI, Stoitchev I, Chernozemski I.
PMID: 3782264