The role of folic acid on oncologic prevention and intervention: review

Abstract

Folic acid, a vitamin involved in a large number of biochemical processes which are essential to life, has also an important role in oncology, mainly due to its action on the DNA methilation and on the purine and pirimidine synthesis. Genetic causes and/ or deficiency of this vitamin have been associated to colorectal cancer in several studies. Its role, however, is more extensive, and can be observed from cancer prevention to treatment, where it is largely used under the form of its chemical analogue, hindering the tumor's development and fostering its subsequent erradication. Throught the history of cancer's chemotherapy, toxicity control of the drug has been the object of extensive studies. The use of folic acid or of its reduced form during or before treatment is described in this paper on the role of folic acid in oncology, so that interventionist strategies aiming to reduce cancer risk and the toxicity related to antineoplastic treatment can be developed.