Researchers have found that a derivative of vitamin A could be beneficial for former smokers, who remain at elevated risk for lung cancer for years after giving up.
A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that retinoic acid was associated with reduced lung cell growth in a group of former heavy smokers.
Previous studies have shown that drugs called retinoids, which are related to vitamin A, are able to slow the growth of cancer cells in laboratory experiments.
The latest research involved 225 former heavy smokers who were given different forms of retinoic acid or a placebo.
The researchers found that patients who were given 13-cis-retinoic acid and vitamin E were found to experience a significant reduction in lung cell growth compared with those in the placebo group.
Josephine Querido, senior cancer information officer at Cancer Research UK, commented: "The effect of vitamin derivatives and supplements on lung cancer is unclear - so giving up smoking is by far the best way for smokers to reduce their risk of the disease.
"These early results are intriguing, but much more work is needed before we know for sure whether these chemicals could prevent or slow lung cancer growth."
Researchers have found that a derivative of vitamin A could be beneficial for former smokers, who remain at elevated risk for lung cancer for years after giving up.
