Vitamin C

My thoughts: While high dose vitamin C injections may be very helpful in reducing inflammation, improving quality of life and induce cancer cell death they may also increase the risk of cardiovascular events and should be done after an cardiovascular evaluation (at least by blood lipid testing) by a doctor trained in IV vitamin C administration. They may also be administered with chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy

Effect of High-dose Vitamin C Combined With Anti-cancer Treatment on Breast Cancer Cells

High-dose vitamin C (≥10 mM) significantly decreased cell viability of all breast cancer cell lines, particularly of MCF-7 cells. The catalase activities of MCF7 and MDA-MD-231 cells were also lower than those of MCF10A cells. Moreover, cell viability of both MCF7 and MDA-MD-231 cells was decreased further when combining high-dose vitamin C and eribulin mesylate."

MDA-MD-231 cells don't have estrogen, progesterone or HER2 receptors so a good model for TNBC.

This is on ovarian cancer but it's the same concept:

High-dose parenteral ascorbate enhanced chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer and reduced toxicity of chemotherapy"

The combination of parenteral ascorbate with the conventional chemotherapeutic agents carboplatin and paclitaxel synergistically inhibited ovarian cancer in mouse models and reduced chemotherapy-associated toxicity in patients with ovarian cancer. On the basis of its potential benefit and minimal toxicity, examination of intravenous ascorbate in combination with standard chemotherapy is justified in larger clinical trials."

Vitamin C supplementation expands the therapeutic window of BETi for triple negative breast cancer

"Vitamin C expands the therapeutic window of BETi by sensitizing TNBC to BETi. Using vitamin C as a co-treatment, lower doses of BETi could be used to achieve an increased therapeutic index in patients, which will translate to a reduced side effect profile."

IVC Protocol at the Riordan Clinic

"A variety of laboratory studies suggest that, at high concentrations, ascorbate does not interfere with chemotherapy or irradiation and may enhance efficacy in some situations (Fujita, et al., 1982; Okunieff & Suit, 1987; Kurbacher, et al., 1996; Taper, et al., 1996; Fromberg, et al., 2011; Shinozaki, et al., 2011; Espey, et al., 2011). This is supported by meta-analyses of clinical studies involving cancer and vitamins; these studies conclude that antioxidant supplementation does not interfere with the toxicity of chemotherapeutic regiments (Simone, et al., 2007; Block, et al., 2008)."

Case histories:

A 60 year old woman with stage IIIC adenocarcinoma of the ovary and an initial CA-125 of 81 underwent surgery followed by six cycles of chemotherapy (paclitaxel, carboplatin) with oral antioxidants. After six cycles of chemotherapy, patient began parenteral ascorbate infusions. Ascorbate infusion began at 15 grams once weekly and increased to 60 grams twice weekly. Plasma ascorbate levels above 200 mg/dL were achieved during infusion. Treatment continued to date of publication. The patient supplemented with vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin A. Her CA-125 levels normalized after one course of chemotherapy. After the first cycle of chemotherapy, the patient was noted to have residual disease in the pelvis. At this point, she opted for intravenous ascorbate. Thirty months later, patient showed no evidence of recurrent disease and her CA-125 levels remained normal.

A 55 year old woman with stage IIIC papillary adenocarcinoma of the ovary and an initial CA-125 of 999 underwent surgery followed by six cycles of chemotherapy (paclitaxel, carboplatin) combined with oral and parenteral ascorbate. Ascorbate infusion began at 15 grams twice weekly and increased to 60 grams twice weekly. Plasma ascorbate levels above 200 mg/dL were achieved during infusion. After six weeks, ascorbate treatment continued for one year, after which patient reduced infusions to once every two weeks. The patient also supplemented with vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin A. At the time of publication, she was over 40 months from initial diagnosis and remained on ascorbate infusions. All CT and PET scans were negative for disease, and her CA-125 levels remained normal (Drisko, et al., 2003).

Study - Effect of high-dose intravenous vitamin C on inflammation in cancer patients

Results on 45 people with prostate cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, thyroid cancer, skin cancer and B-cell lymphoma treated at the Riordan Clinic: "According to our data positive response to treatment, which was demonstrated by measurements of C- reactive protein, was found in 75% of patients and progression of the inflammation in 25% of patients. IVC treatments on all aggressive stage cancer patients showed the poor response of treatment. There was correlation between tumor markers (PSA, CEA, CA27.29 and CA15-3) and changes in the levels of C-reactive protein. Our test of the effect of IVC on pro-inflammatory cytokines demonstrated that inflammation cytokines IL-1α, IL-2, IL-8, TNF-α, chemokine eotaxin and CRP were reduced significantly after treatments."

https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1479-5876-10-189

Article - High-Dose Vitamin C Injection to Cancer Patients May Promote Thrombosis Through Procoagulant Activation of Erythrocytes

"Here, we examined the procoagulant and prothrombotic risks associated with the intravenous injection of gram-dose vitamin C... Indeed, the intravenous injection of vitamin C (0.5–1.0 g/kg) in rats in vivo significantly increased thrombosis. Notably, the prothrombotic effects of vitamin C were more prominent in RBCs isolated from cancer patients, who are at increased risks of thrombotic events. Vitamin C-induced procoagulant and prothrombotic activation of RBCs, and increased thrombosis in vivo. RBCs from cancer patients exhibited increased sensitivity to the prothrombotic effects of vitamin C."

https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article/147/2/350/1620914

Article - Interview: Are Liposome-encapsulated Vitamin C and/or the Levy Multi-C Protocol more effective than Intravenous Vitamin C? - Part 2

"While research on this subject is yet to be published, Dr. Ron Hunninghake of the Riordan Clinic and I have been working on models of enhancing vitamin C uptake inside the cells with not only insulin, but also hydrocortisone. It appears that after ingestion of vitamin C orally, the intravenous administration of hydrocortisone results in large increases in intracellular vitamin C levels. Furthermore, Marik's work indicates that perhaps much lower amounts of vitamin C (a few grams) given much more frequently (every 4 to 6 hours) could be substantially more effective than much larger amounts of vitamin C (50 to 100 grams) given over an hour or two. Along these lines, Dr. Hunninghake and I are pursuing clinical research involving the steady infusion of vitamin C periodically spiked by multigram vitamin C IV pushes for a variety of conditions. Of note, Dr. Klenner speculated many years ago that giving 300 grams of vitamin C infused around the clock could be especially impactful on cancer and other chronic diseases. Dr. Klenner's genius still amazes me."

https://www.peakenergy.com/interviews/passwater2/are-liposome-encapsulated-vitamin-c-and-or-the-levy-multi-c-protocol-more-effective-than-intravenous-vitamin-c-part2/

Article - Vitamin C in the critically ill - indications and controversies

"Core tip: An increasing body of evidence suggests that high-dose vitamin C administration improves hemodynamics, end-organ function, and may improve survival in critically ill patients. This article reviews studies that evaluate vitamin C in pre-clinical models and clinical trials with respect to its therapeutic potential... A majority of the prospective and case studies of vitamin C administration for cancer-related pain have reported improvements in quality-of-life indicators such as pain, fatigue, insomnia, nausea and vomiting[110-115]."