Selective cancer cell killing by α-tocopheryl succinate

We report that alpha -tocopheryl succinate, a vitamin E analogue with pro-apoptotic properties. selectively kills cells with a malignant or transformed phenotype, i.e. multiple haematopoietic and carcinoma cell lines, while being non-toxic to normal, i.e. primary and nontransformed cells. These findings strongly suggest a potential of this micronutrient in the therapy and/or prevention of cancer without significant side-effects. (C) 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.com.