Recent research published in Redox Biology shows that high-dose intravenous vitamin C can double survival rates in one of the most aggressive forms of pancreatic cancer.
“In the study, 34 patients with stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer were randomized to receive either standard chemotherapy (gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel), or chemotherapy plus infusions of high-dose vitamin C.
“The results showed that average overall survival was 16 months for the patients receiving the chemotherapy plus vitamin C, compared to eight months for the patients getting just chemotherapy. In addition, progression free survival was extended from four months to six months.” (Brown, University of Iowa, 2024)
At high doses (≥10g), vitamin C acts differently than it does at nutritional levels. Rather than functioning as an antioxidant, it shifts to a pro-oxidant role, inducing stress in cells.
IV vitamin C generates hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the extracellular fluid around cells. H₂O₂ can cause oxidative stress by damaging DNA, proteins, and cellular membranes, disrupting normal cell function. Healthy cells possess robust antioxidant defenses, including catalase and glutathione, which neutralize hydrogen peroxide effectively.
Cancer cells, however, have impaired antioxidant systems and sometimes lack the enzyme catalase, so they cannot efficiently detoxify hydrogen peroxide. This causes H₂O₂ to build up in cells and leads to DNA damage, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis (programmed cell death).
Because healthy cells have sufficient catalase, high dose vitamin C IV selectively targets cancer cells, and leaves healthy tissue unaffected unlike other common treatments (chemotherapy, radiation, etc.)
High-dose IV vitamin C also enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy drugs like gemcitabine by:
- Weakening cancer cells through oxidative stress, making them more vulnerable to the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy.
- Reducing chemotherapy resistance, a common challenge in pancreatic cancer.
- Enhancing tumor oxygenation, as the pro-oxidant effects of vitamin C improve the delivery of oxygen to hypoxic (low-oxygen) tumor regions
- Supporting healthy cells by mitigating some of the collateral oxidative damage caused by chemotherapy, potentially reducing side effects and improving patient tolerance to treatment.
The results of this trial are promising, especially given the poor outcome associated with advanced stage pancreatic cancer. Joseph Cullen, MD, senior author of the study, notes, “This is a deadly disease with very poor outcomes for patients. The median survival is eight months with treatment, probably less without treatment, and the five-year survival is tiny.”
“When we started the trial, we thought it would be a success if we got to 12 months survival, but we doubled overall survival to 16 months. Not only does [high-dose vitamin C IV] increase overall survival, but the patients seem to feel better with the treatment. They have fewer side effects, and appear to be able to tolerate more treatment.
“In one of our phase 1 trials for pancreatic cancer, where we combined high-dose, IV vitamin C with radiation, we still have three long-term survivors. They’re out nine years at this point, which is far beyond the typical survival range.”
Dr. Cullen has also led other trials with his team exploring IV vitamin C in cancer. Earlier this year, a phase 2 clinical trial in patients with glioblastoma, a highly aggressive brain cancer, showed that adding high-dose IV vitamin C to standard chemotherapy and radiation significantly improved survival rates.
This groundbreaking study is particularly remarkable, given that glioblastoma is one of the deadliest cancers, with limited treatment options and a typically poor prognosis. These findings offer new hope for improving outcomes.
Dr. Cullen and his team are expanding their research with a third phase 2 trial, this time focusing on non-small cell lung cancer, another highly lethal form of cancer: “Our aim is to show that adding high-dose IV vitamin C, which is very inexpensive and very well tolerated, can improve treatment for these cancers that are among the deadliest affecting the U.S. population” (Brown, 2024).
At our clinic, we regularly use high-dose IV vitamin C as part of our cancer treatments. Its ability to selectively target cancer cells makes it a promising option for aggressive cancers that require more intense treatment approaches, offering hope where traditional therapies may fall short. Because it’s non-toxic to healthy cells, patients typically experience few or no side effects.
To learn more about the benefits of IV vitamin C, visit the Center for New Medicine site here!