Vitamin C may someday be part of cancer treatment

New lab studies on mice reveal that vitamin C has shown promise as a powerful fighter in the battle against cancer, says a report released by the U.S. National Institutes of Health's Molecular and Clinical Nutrition Section.

Although clinical trials on humans are yet to be conducted, the research opens up the possibility of using the vitamin as more of a medication than a nutrient. Vitamin C has long been lauded for its supposed powers to treat many ills, from colds to heart disease. The vitamin received wide public interest after the late scientist Dr. Linus Pauling suggested it may have cancer-fighting properties.

However, researchers are quick to point out that their latest findings in now way suggest that vitamin C is a cure for cancer; rather it may be a viable treatment option. And even if the treatment works, it would likely be used in combination with other drugs.