Vitamin pills 'do not cut risk of cancer'

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Researchers at Harvard Medical School followed more than 7,500 women for nine years in one of the biggest studies of the effects of vitamins on cancer.

They found women who took beta carotene or vitamin C or E, or a combination of the supplements, had a similar risk of cancer as women who did not take them.

Previous studies have suggested that people whose diets are high in fruits and vegetables known to contain antioxidants may have a lower risk of cancer.

The new research is to be published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Professor Jennifer Lin, who led the study, said: "With an average of 9.4 years of follow-up time, there was no statistically significant benefit from antioxidant use compared with placebo in terms of disease risk or mortality due to cancer"