The infusion clinic, designed to accommodate 10 infusion patients at a time, includes two isolation rooms where infectious patients can receive treatment. Oncology patients are frequent visitors to the clinic where they receive intravenous ascorbate (vitamin C), which works as a pro-oxidant in cancer treatments. In addition to vitamin C infusions, our clinic also provides IV Magnesium and Glutathione. Magnesium infusions are a beneficial therapy being used for muscle pain, anxiety, headaches as well as to correct mineral imbalances. IV Glutathione has a large range of benefits for individuals struggling with neurologic symptoms related to Parkinson's disease, metal and environmental toxicity, and impaired liver detoxification. Intravenous Vitamin C is Vitamin C which enters your body through a small tube inserted into a vein in your arm or through a port. Here is some information to consider before choosing Intravenous Vitamin C: 1) IVC is not considered a "stand alone" therapy.
It is one component of comprehensive care which includes dietary, nutritional, and lifestyle changes that support wellness. IVC is used with traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy. 2) IV access is needed for IV therapy, we can use an existing port or an easily accessed vein to infuse the IVC.3) Adequate health is a requirement for IVC - one needs to be maintaining good daytime energy, be ambulatory, be able to self-feed, be diligent about lifestyle support, and be maintaining good GI health and nutritional status. 4) IVC is conditional on lab work that allows for initial and ongoing IVC. Adequate G6PD levels, renal, liver, and bone marrow function are required. 5) Those with certain medical situations are NOT eligible for IVC. These include: tobacco use, use of high-dose methotrexate as an in-patient, congestive heart failure, liver failure, renal failure, spinal cord compressions, kidney stones and some cases of ascites. IVC is typically not recommended simultaneously with radiation treatments.
6) Patients' oncology physicians need to be supportive of IVC and willing to coordinate care. Baseline imaging should be completed before starting IVC. We require ongoing active monitoring by oncology concurrent with IVC therapy.7) Infusion time requirements and financial requirements need to be carefully assessed prior to beginning treatment. 8) Treatment is to be continuous, 2 to 3 times per week. Continuous treatment with IVC, without lapses in treatment, is important in order to lessen any possible risks of increased cancer cell resistance to IVC. 9) IVC is typically continued until there is no detection of cancer for a 12 month period of time and then treatments are tapered, with decreasing frequency of IVC treatments. Infusions are continued until the decision is made by the patient and provider that IVC is no longer indicated. 10) The decision that a patient is appropriate to start IVC is made collaboratively by KU Integrative medical providers attending Friday chart review after review of their lab results and review of their patient health history.
11) Basic science research and published case reports demonstrate IVC selectively killing cancer cells but not normal cells. There are also studies which show improvement in fatigue and in quality of life measures of those receiving both IVC and conventional anticancer treatments. Fritz, H., Flower, G., Weeks, L., Cooley, K., Callachan, M., McGowan, J., ... Intravenous Vitamin C and Cancer: A Systematic Review. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 13(4), 280-300. doi:10.1177/1534735414534463OHNO, S., OHNO, Y., & SUZUKI, N. (2009). High-dose vitamin C (ascorbic acid) therapy in the treatment of patients with advanced cancer. Anticancer ..., 29(3), 809-15. /content/29/3/809.shortWelsh, J. L., Wagner, B. a, van't Erve, T. J., Zehr, P. S., Berg, D. J., Halfdanarson, T. R., ... Cullen, J. J. (2013). Pharmacological ascorbate with gemcitabine for the control of metastatic and node-positive pancreatic cancer (PACMAN): results from a phase I clinical trial. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, 71(3), 765-75.
doi:10.1007/s00280-013-2070-8Verrax, J., & Calderon, P. B. (2009). Pharmacologic concentrations of ascorbate are achieved by parenteral administration and exhibit antitumoral effects. Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 47(1), 32-40. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19254759Ma, Y., Chapman, J., Levine, M., Polireddy, K., Drisko, J., & Chen, Q. (2014). High-dose parenteral ascorbate enhanced chemosensitivity of ovarian cancer and reduced toxicity of chemotherapy. Science Translational Medicine, 6(222), 222ra18. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.3007154Chen, P., Yu, J., Chalmers, B., Drisko, J., Yang, J., Li, B., & Chen, Q. (2012). Pharmacological ascorbate induces cytotoxicity in prostate cancer cells through ATP depletion and induction of autophagy. Anti-Cancer Drugs, 23(4), 437-44. doi:10.1097/CAD.0b013e32834fd01fRiordan, H. D., Riordan, N. H., Jackson, J. A., Casciari, J. J., Hunninghake, R., ... Intravenously administered vitamin C as chemotherapy agent: a report on clinical cases.
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