# Oral Vitamin C Reduced Death Risk in Phase 2 Trial of Pre-Leukemia Conditions

- Published: 2026-11-07 02:13 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Medicine
- Tags: EVITA trial, vitamin C leukemia, clonal cytopenia, myeloid malignancies, TET2 enzyme
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-72430abaab68fc45cc12fbb0_oral_vitamin_c/

**A phase 2 trial evaluated daily vitamin C in patients with clonal cytopenia and lower-risk myeloid malignancies.**

![Oral Vitamin C Reduced Death Risk in Phase 2 Trial of Pre-Leukemia Conditions](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/88cc5872f1e61cb6.webp)
*ScienceAlert*

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Van Andel Institute evaluated oral vitamin C in patients with pre-leukemic conditions and early-stage blood disorders. The findings from the multicenter, randomized EVITA clinical trial were published in Cancer [1]. The trial enrolled 109 adult participants in Denmark and the United States between November 1, 2017, and September 28, 2022 [1].

Participants had diagnoses of clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance (CCUS) or lower-risk myeloid malignancies without concurrent anticancer therapy [1]. The cohort was randomized into two arms: 55 individuals received 1000 mg of oral vitamin C daily for 12 months, while 54 received a placebo [1]. Vitamin C acts as a cofactor for TET enzymes involved in DNA demethylation and epigenetic regulation, which are frequently altered by TET2 mutations in leukemia drivers [1].

## Primary End Point and Clonal Growth

The primary outcome assessed in EVITA was the median clonal growth rate from baseline to the conclusion of the 12-month intervention [1]. Authors reported that this primary end point did not differ between the treatment and control arms [1]. Despite the lack of divergence in clonal growth rates, secondary measures showed biological activity, including changes in inflammatory cytokine trajectories between cohorts [1].

Additionally, five participants in the vitamin C cohort developed higher-risk hematologic malignancies compared to nine individuals in the placebo cohort [1]. The trial also demonstrated that supplementation normalized vitamin C concentrations in individuals who exhibited baseline deficiencies [1].

## Safety Profile and Survival Metrics

Safety assessments revealed fewer serious adverse events in the active intervention cohort [1]. Serious adverse events occurred in 18 of 55 participants (33%) receiving vitamin C, compared to 30 of 53 participants (57%) in the placebo arm [1].

In exploratory analyses across follow-up, overall survival was longer in the vitamin C group, showing a hazard ratio of 0.35 [1]. Over three years of follow-up, this corresponded to a 65 percent lower risk of death in the treated group [1]. The investigators stated that a phase 3 trial is warranted to confirm clinical efficacy [1].

## Sources

1. [Cancer](https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.70549)
2. [ScienceAlert](https://www.sciencealert.com/a-cheap-daily-vitamin-shows-promise-for-people-at-risk-of-leukemia-early-trial-finds)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-72430abaab68fc45cc12fbb0_oral_vitamin_c/