Antitumor activity of selected vitamins

Maligne bolesti spadaju među vodeće uzročnike smrti, kako u Hrvatskoj, tako i u svijetu, što predstavlja veliki javnozdravstveni problem. S obzirom na činjenicu da se značajan broj svih slučajeva raka može prevenirati adekvatnom prehranom, odnosno unosom namirnica bogatih kemoprotektivnim sastojcima, ovaj diplomski rad daje pregled najnovijih saznanja o antitumorskom djelovanju vitamina A, D, E i C koji su se pokazali kao najučinkovitiji u prevenciji i terapiji raka u navedenoj skupini mikronutrijenata. Oksidativni stres je jedan od okidača karcinogeneze pri čemu važnu kemoprotektivnu ulogu imaju antioksidansi poput β-karotena (provitamina A) te vitamina E i C. Osim navedenih vitamina s antioksidativnim svojstvima vrlo važnu ulogu u borbi protiv raka imaju i vitamini A i D koji smanjuju nekontroliranu proliferaciju tumorskih stanica, inhibiraju angiogenezu, metastaziranje i invazivnost raka te potiču apoptozu tumorskih stanica. Navedeni vitamini važni su i za normalnu funkciju imunosnog sustava kojem pomažu u prevenciji i borbi protiv raka, a neki se koriste i kao dodatna terapija u kombiniranoj kemoterapiji. Imajući navedeno na umu, preporuča se u svakodnevnu prehranu uključiti raznolike namirnice bogate vitaminima A, D, E i C jer se time stvaraju nepovoljni uvjeti za rast tumora te omogućuje organizmu da se učinkovito bori s njima.Malignant diseases are considered as leading causes of death, which is a major public health problem, both in Croatia and in the world. About 30-40% of all cases of cancer can be prevented by adequate nutrition and intake of food rich in chemoprotective agents. This diploma thesis provides an overview of the latest findings on the anti-tumor activity of vitamins A, D, E and C, which are the most effective in preventing and treating cancer in that micronutrient group. Oxidative stress is one of the carcinogenesis triggers in which antioxidants such as β-carotene (provitamin A), vitamin E and vitamin C have an important chemoprotective role. In addition to vitamins with antioxidant properties, vitamins A and D play a very important role in fighting against cancer, reducing the uncontrolled proliferation of tumor cells, inhibiting angiogenesis, metastasis, invasiveness of cancer and stimulating apoptosis of tumor cells. These vitamins are also important for the normal function of the immune system in which they help prevent and fight cancer, while some of them are used as additional therapy in combined chemotherapy. Considering this, it is recommended to include a variety of food rich in vitamins A, D, E, and C in daily diet as it creates unfavorable conditions for tumor growth and allows the body to successfully fight with them