The folate is important for the cells and fabrics that if divide. The cancerous cells if divide quickly, and the drugs that intervene with the metabolism of the folate are used to treat the cancer. The methotrexate antifolate is a used drug to treat the cancer; therefore it inhibits the production of the active form of the inactive THF of the diidrofolate (FHD). However, the methotrexate can be toxic to produce effect, such collateral as the inflammation in the digestive device that make diffiFolate diminishes intracellular deficiency of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), that it inhibits the methylation of cytosine in the DNA, active proto-oncogenes, induces the malignant transformations, causes precursory of the DNA disequilibria, misincorporates uracil in the DNA and promotes the chromosome in addition; all these mechanisms to increase the risk of development of prostate cancer.
The association between the acid folate and cancer seems to be complex and mixing. Theoretical reasons exist that the folate can help to prevent the cancer, and an goal-analysis published in 2010, did not obtain to find a significant risk of cancer statistical which had to the acid folate treatments, but a 1995 study it found the supplementation increases cancer taxes.
Some inquiries have considered good levels of acid folate can be related to the lesser risk of esophagus, stomach and cancer of ovarian, but the benefits of the acid folate against the cancer can depend by when it will be taken and on the individual conditions. Moreover, the acid folate cannot be useful, and could exactly be harmful, in people who already suffer from cancer or a precancerous condition. In the same way, he has been suggested folate in excess can promote the initiation of the tumor. The folate has if shown they play a double role in the development of the cancer, insufficient ingestion of folate protects against carcinogenesis, ea high ingestion of folate promotes carcinogenesis advanced. Therefore, the recommendations of public health must have cared not to stimulate excessively the ingestion of folate.
The rich diets in acid folate are associates with reduction of the risk of colorectal cancer; some studies show the associations are stronger for acid folate of foods alone of what for the acid folate of foods and supplements, while others find that the supplements of acid folate are more efficient due to bigger biodisponibilidade. A clinical assay randomized 2007 found folate supplements does not reduce the risk of adenomas colorectal, and in fact to increase the presence of the advanced injuries and multiplicity adenoma. The colorectal cancer is the type of cancer more studied in relation to the folate and a carbon metabolism. For example, the ingestion of supplement of acid folate increased the development of the advanced colorectal cancer in 67% in a European study of 14 years, with 520.000 men.