Incidence of squamous cell carcinoma in hairless mice irradiated with ultraviolet light in relation to intake of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and of D, L-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E).
We have carried out a study of large malignant skin tumours (squamous-cell carcinomas) and other lesions in "hairless" mice (in groups of 45 or 60 mice) intermittently exposed to ultraviolet light over a period of 15 weeks, beginning when the mice were about 8 weeks old. Various groups were given a standard diet (Wayne Lab-Blox) or the same food with added vitamin C or vitamin E throughout the study. Lesions, classified by histopathologic study as atypical squamous-cell proliferations varying from early actinic keratoses to invasive poorly differentiated squamous-cell carcinomas, had begun to develop by the end of the period of irradiation. They were counted twice a month for five months. The observed fraction of mice that developed lesions during successive time periods was analyzed by the statistical method recommended by a committee of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. A pronounced effect of vitamin C in decreasing the incidence of the malignant lesions was observed with very high statistical significance. No significant effect of vitamin E was observed. We conclude that vitamin C should be given special attention with respect to the relation between diet and cancer.
D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008812:Mice, Hairless; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000517:prevention & control; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014810:Vitamin E; D001205:Ascorbic Acid