Found out that high dose vitamin C can improve the performance status of the patients.
Standard cancer treatments give way innovation. New clinical trial examines the effect of high-dose vitamin C in combination with standard treatment on the health of patients with cancer.
In the 1970-ies and 1980-ies Nobel prize winner Linus Pauling, along with the surgeon Ewan Cameron first put forward the hypothesis that the clinical benefits of vitamin C for the treatment of people with cancer.
Further experiments on animals or cultures of cancer cells showed that high concentration of ascorbic acid can prevent and treat cancer.
Later studies have investigated the combined effect of high doses of vitamin C, and conventional therapy of cancer. Some of them showed that patients who received combined treatment were able to slow the progression of the disease and also to reduce side effects of chemotherapy.
High doses of vitamin C help fight cancer
In order to achieve a high concentration of vitamin C was administered intravenously. Vitamin C has a short half-life in humans, only 2 hours, so to enhance the effect, it is necessary to enter in large doses.
New clinical study led by scientists from the University of Iowa, studies the effect of from 800 to 1000 times the daily recommended dose of vitamin C to patients with cancer of the brain and lungs.
Security check of
In the process of checking on the security of this method, 11 patients with brain cancer who was undergoing standard chemotherapy and radiation therapy were administered three weekly intravenous infusion of vitamin C for 2 months, then two weekly infusions for 7 months.
Each infusion increased the blood levels of vitamin C up to 20,000 µmol (µm), while the average level of vitamin C in adults is about 70 microns.
Overall, the treatment was good. The team noted only a few minor side effects such as dry mouth or infrequent and short pressure surges.
This step was the first in a series of clinical trials whose aim is to understand whether a high dose of vitamin C to prolong the life and improve the quality of the patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The first phase of the study demonstrates that patients with glioblastoma were able to live for 4-6 months longer than patients who received traditional treatment.
In the second phase of tests, scientists will begin to study the effect of vitamin C on patients with stage 4 lung cancer.
As vitamin C weakens cancer cells
The effectiveness of vitamin C in the treatment of cancer of the lungs and brain associated with the metabolism of cancer cells.
Due to metabolism occurring in the mitochondria of cancer cells, these cells cause abnormally high levels of redox active iron molecules. These molecules when interacting with vitamin C to form hydrogen peroxide and free radicals derived from hydrogen peroxide.
Scientists believe that these free radicals cause death of cancer cells by damaging the DNA of cells. It is also believed that free radicals weaken cancer cells and make them more vulnerable to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
The study’s author, Douglas Spitz commented on the importance of the results:
“This is an important example of how knowledge of the clinical properties of the potential mechanisms and fundamental science on redox compounds in cancerous and normal cells can be used in cancer therapy”.
If this approach will continue to demonstrate the same effective results, it can greatly reduce the cost of cancer treatment as 9 months of intravenous vitamin C are cheaper than one dose of chemotherapy.
“Most of the cancer patients we work with are thrilled with the participation in a clinical trial that may benefit many people in the future. The results look promising, but before you can say anything with complete certainty, it is necessary to complete the research.”
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