General Cancer
Breast Cancer
Lung Cancer
Prostate Cancer
Stomach Cancer
Vitamin A plays a vital role in vision, epithelial differentiation, growth, and reproduction. Beta-Carotene is converted in the body to Vitamin A. Deficiency may cause night blindness, affect the epithelia of the body passages, and increase susceptibility to infection. Rich sources are liver, fish liver oils, and egg yolks. Recommended daily allowance is 5000 IU/day. (For more detailed information, please visit ISM’s searchable database: Nutraceutical Search.)
Retinoids, which include vitamin A (retinol; ROL) and its derivatives, have been investigated in the treatment of bladder cancer. We have shown that expression of the enzyme lecithin: ROL acyltransferase (LRAT), which converts ROL to retinyl esters, is reduced in several human cancers. These data suggest that loss of LRAT expression is associated with invasive bladder cancer.
o Clin Cancer Res. 2004 May 15; 10(10): 3429-37.
High prediagnostic serum level of retinol is associated with a decreased risk of heptocelluar Carcinoma.
o J Natl Cancer Inst. 2006 Apr 5; 98(7): 482-90.
Derivatives of vitamin A, the retinoids, have reported activity in treating specific premalignant lesions and reducing incidence of second primary tumors in patients with prior head and neck, lung or liver cancers.
o Oncologist. 2000; 5(5): 361-8.
Epidemiological evidence shows an association between high dietary intake of vitamin A and a reduced risk of breast cancer among premenopausal women with a positive family history of breast cancer.
o Zhang, J Natl Cancer Inst (1999);91:547-56.
Vitamin A may improve survival and reduce the reoccurrence of tumors in people with lung cancer.
o Pastorino, J Clin Oncol (1993);11:1216-22.
The metabolism of vitamin A to retinyl esters is carried out primarily by the enzyme LRAT. LRAT protein expression was lost in prostate cancer. These data implicate aberrant retinoid metabolism in the process of prostatic carcinogenesis.
o Cancer Res. 2002 Mar 15; 62(6): 1654-61.
A diet rich in vitamin A (retinol) may cut the risk of stomach cancer by 44 per cent. The relative risks between people in the highest versus lowest intake groups of retinol, alpha-carotene and beta-carotene were reduced by 44, 50 and 45 per cent, respectively. [Larsson, SC, Bergkvist, LA, Näslund, I, Rutegård, J, & Wolk, A (2007). Vitamin A, retinol, and carotenoids and the risk of gastric cancer: a prospective cohort study.
o Am J Clin Nutr, 85(2), 497-503.