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• What is Prevention?
• Carcinogenesis
• Risk Factors
• Interventions That are Known to Lower Cancer Risk
• Interventions That Are Not Known to Lower Cancer Risk
• Questions or Comments About This Summary

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Interventions That Are Not Known to Lower Cancer Risk

Vitamin and dietary supplements have not been shown to prevent cancer.

An intervention is a treatment or action taken to prevent or treat disease, or improve health in other ways.

There is not enough proof that taking multivitamin and mineral supplements or single vitamins or minerals can prevent cancer. The following vitamins and mineral supplements have been studied, but have not been shown to lower the risk of cancer:

• Vitamin B6.
• Vitamin B12.
• Vitamin E.
• Vitamin C.
• Beta carotene.
• Folic acid.
• Selenium.

The use of supplements to prevent cancer is still being studied.

See the following PDQ summaries for more information:

• Breast Cancer Prevention
• Colorectal Cancer Prevention
• Lung Cancer Prevention
• Prostate Cancer Prevention

New ways to prevent cancer are being studied in clinical trials.

Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. Check NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry for cancer prevention trials that are now accepting patients.

See the NCI Web site for more information about cancer prevention.