New Insights on Vitamin C and Cancer

Description

Research on vitamin C and its effects on cancer is growing in popularity around the world as positive research continues to accumulate building a stronger case for its effectiveness. This concise SpringerBrief on Vitamin C and Cancer presents the latest findings on how vitamin C induces apoptosis. A high concentration of vitamin C allows for ascorbate to generate hydrogen peroxide in tissue that can selectively kill cancer cells. Research has confirmed that high-dose vitamin C is cytotoxic to a wide variety of cancer cell lines, and that it also boosts the anti-cancer activity of several common chemotherapy drugs. Vitamin C also does more than just kill cancer cells. It boosts immunity by stimulating collagen formation to help the body wall off the tumor. It inhibits hyaluronidase, an enzyme that tumors use to metastasize and invade other organs throughout the body. This concise and up-to-date Brief is geared towards cancer researchers and scientists, as well as physicians interested in the basic science and the translational potential of vitamin C in cancer therapeutics.

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Clinical Studies and Reports of Antineoplastic Agents with Vitamin C

We found 13 published clinical studies or reports using antineoplastic agents and vitamin C from 2004 to 2013. The studies were mostly in patients with advanced disease, recurrent or refractory [stubborn] to previous treatments, except for the Japanese trial by Takahashi who had 60 newly diagnosed patients. The cancers treated included several different types such as breast, 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐲𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐚, pancreatic and leukemia. These trials used intravenous vitamin C in a wide range that went from 𝟏 𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝟏𝟐𝟓 𝐠 given daily, twice a week, weekly or according to the chemotherapy cycle schedule. The results from these trials were generally positive. Intravenous vitamin C was well tolerated in all the doses given

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Moreover, there is a recent report on vitamin C as a toxic agent against cancer cells when given intravenously [25]. The doses we are advocating for therapy are substantially higher doses (𝟐𝟓–𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝐠) and most importantly are given 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲. We believe intravenous administration is more effective, because plasma levels of ascorbate can reach higher levels than those attained by oral intakes and these higher levels can be sustained for longer periods of time. These two aspects seem necessary to produce a selective toxic effect by vitamin C on cancer cells. We are attempting to reach plasma levels that are 100 times higher than those that can be achieved by oral administration.