Redifferentiation of oral dysplastic mucosa by the application of the antioxidants beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol and vitamin C

• Published in: International journal for vitamin and nutrition research Vol. 67; no. 5; p. 368
• Main Authors: Barth, T J, Zöller, J, Kübler, A, Born, I A, Osswald, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 1997
• Subjects: Antioxidants - administration & dosage; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Ascorbic Acid - pharmacology; beta Carotene - pharmacology; Biopsy; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cohort Studies; Drug Therapy, Combination; Humans; Keratins - drug effects; Leukoplakia - drug therapy; Leukoplakia - pathology; Mouth Mucosa - drug effects; Mouth Mucosa - pathology; Mouth Neoplasms - drug therapy; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; Nucleolus Organizer Region - drug effects; S Phase - drug effects; Time Factors; Vitamin E - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0300-9831

In a clinical trial the effect of chemoprevention with beta-carotene, vitamin E and C on dysplastic tissue was studied. The study included 24 patients with oral leukoplakia and 24 patients after radical resection of a primary oral cancer. There was a reduction of increased cell kinetic parameters like the S-phase portion or the average number of nuclear-organizer regions (NOR) per cell nucleus, a decrease of the micronuclei portion and a normalization of the cytokeratin gene-expression. The general response was 97.5%. Stopping the alcohol and tobacco abuse the effect of the antioxidative vitamins on redifferentiation of the oral mucosa was more intense than by persistance of the alcohol and tobacco abuse, but a long term prevention seems to be ineffective.