Vitamin C (incl. high-dose) & Bladder cancer

Written based on 20 research studies on PubMed, searched on 2026. nov. 11..

The claim

Posts online say that vitamin C (incl. high-dose) helps with bladder cancer.

Where research stands

We found 77 published papers on vitamin C (incl. high-dose) and bladder cancer. They were published between 1969 and 2026. 2 of them are studies in people. 1 of them compared people who got it with a group that did not. 46 were studies in animals, and 10 were only in cells in the lab. 4 papers are reviews that sum up other studies. 2 new studies in people are running or will start soon, say the trial registers.

• 2In people1 with a comparison group
• 46In animals
• 10Only in the lab

What the studies found

We have not summed up these studies in words yet. The most important papers are listed under Sources.

Verdict

Sources

1. Vitamin C and catheter-related bladder discomfort after transurethral resection of bladder tumor: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.2023 · J Clin Anesth · Randomised trial
2. IV Vitamin C with Chemotherapy for Cisplatin-Ineligible Bladder Cancer Patients: A Forgotten Group.2026 · Antioxidants (Basel) · Study in people
3. Association of vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E and risk of bladder cancer: a dose-response meta-analysis.2015 · Sci Rep · Review
4. Vitamin C and E intake and risk of bladder cancer: a meta-analysis of observational studies.2014 · Int J Clin Exp Med · Review
5. Significance of L-ascorbic acid and urinary electrolytes in promotion of rat bladder carcinogenesis.1985 · Princess Takamatsu Symp · Review
6. Vitamin C.1971 · Arch Dermatol · Review
7. Vitamin C enhances cisplatin sensitivity in bladder cancer via 5hmC-mediated epigenetic modulation of ATF4.2025 · Clin Epigenetics · In animals
8. High-dose vitamin C improves BCG immunotherapy's efficacy in a murine ectopic model of bladder cancer.2025 · Pathol Res Pract · In animals
9. Ascorbic acid-2 glucoside mitigates intestinal damage during pelvic radiotherapy in a rat bladder tumor model.2022 · Int J Radiat Biol · In animals
10. Vitamin C increases 5-hydroxymethylcytosine level and inhibits the growth of bladder cancer.2018 · Clin Epigenetics · In animals
11. Evaluation of Uracil, Sodium Ascorbate, and Rosiglitazone as Promoters of Urinary Bladder Transitional Cell Carcinomas in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats.2018 · Toxicol Pathol · In animals
12. Lack of urinary bladder carcinogenicity of sodium L-ascorbate in human c-Ha-ras proto-oncogene transgenic rats.2005 · Toxicol Pathol · In animals
13. Antiproliferative effects of phenylaminonaphthoquinones are increased by ascorbate and associated with the appearance of a senescent phenotype in human bladder cancer cells.2013 · Biochem Biophys Res Commun · In the lab
14. Cell damage and death by autoschizis in human bladder (RT4) carcinoma cells resulting from treatment with ascorbate and menadione.2010 · Ultrastruct Pathol · In the lab
15. Antitumor effect of ascorbic acid, lysine, proline, arginine, and green tea extract on bladder cancer cell line T-24.2006 · Int J Urol · In the lab
16. Morphology and DNA degeneration during autoschizic cell death in bladder carcinoma T24 cells induced by ascorbate and menadione treatment.2006 · Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol · In the lab
17. Reply for Comment on: Vitamin C and catheter-related bladder discomfort after transurethral resection of bladder tumor.2024 · J Clin Anesth · Other paper
18. Comment on: Vitamin C and catheter-related bladder discomfort after transurethral resection of bladder tumor: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.2024 · J Clin Anesth · Other paper
19. Complete Remission of BCG-Refractory High-grade Bladder CIS with Pharmacologic Ascorbate and Mistletoe.2023 · Altern Ther Health Med · Other paper
20. Commentary on "Plasma carotenoids and vitamin C concentrations and risk of urothelial cell carcinoma in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition." Ros MM, Bueno de Mesquita HB, Kampman E, Aben KK, Büchner FL, Jansen EH, van Gils CH, Egevad L, Overvad K, Tjønneland A, Roswall N, Boutron Ruault MC, Kvaskoff M, Perquier F, Kaaks R, Chang Claude J, Weikert S, Boeing H, Trichopoulou A, Lagiou P, Dilis V, Palli D, Pala V, Sacerdote C, Tumino R, Panico S, Peeters PH, Gram IT, Skeie G, Huerta JM, Barricarte A, Quirós JR, Sánchez MJ, Buckland G, Larrañaga N, Ehrnström R, Wallström P, Ljungberg B, Hallmans G, Key TJ, Allen NE, Khaw KT, Wareham N, Brennan P, Riboli E, Kiemeney LA, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, Netherlands: Am J Clin Nutr 2012;96(4):902-10 [Epub 2012 Sep 5].2013 · Urol Oncol · Other paper