In vivo evidence of ascorbate involvement in the generation of epigenetic DNA modifications in leukocytes from patients with colorectal carcinoma, benign adenoma and inflammatory bowel disease.

These findings suggest that deficiency of ascorbate in the blood may be a marker of its shortage in other tissues, which in turn may correspond to deterioration of DNA methylation-demethylation. These observations may provide a rationale for further research on blood biomarkers of colorectal cancer development.