Prospective study of vitamin C intake and colorectal cancer survival according to KRAS and BRAF mutation

Accumulating data indicate that vitamin C is a potent anti-cancer agent. A prospective study in two large US-wide cohort studies (Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study) examined the association of postdiagnostic vitamin C intake with colorectal cancer specific (CRC) and all-cause mortality according to KRAS or BRAF mutation status. Higher intake of vitamin C was not associated with CRC-specific and all-cause mortality among all patients, but was associated with lower CRC-specific mortality among KRAS or BRAF-mutated CRC patients. Analysis of the database of The Cancer Genome Atlas showed a higher mRNA SLC2A1 expression in KRAS or BRAF-mutated tumors than in wild-type tumors.