I've heard that vitamin C might be an alternative cancer treatment. What can you tell me about it? Answers from Timothy J. Moynihan, M.D. Interest in using very high doses of vitamin C as a cancer treatment began as long ago as the 1970s when it was discovered that some properties of the vitamin may make it toxic to cancer cells. Initial studies in humans had promising results, but these studies were later found to be flawed. Subsequent well-designed, randomized, controlled trials of vitamin C and cancer found no such treatment benefit. Despite the lack of evidence, alternative medicine practitioners continue to recommend high doses of vitamin C for cancer treatment. More recently, vitamin C given through a vein (intravenously) has been found to have different effects than vitamin C taken in pill form. This has prompted renewed interest in the use of vitamin C as a cancer treatment. There's still no evidence that vitamin C alone can cure cancer, but researchers are studying whether it might boost the effectiveness of other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
There are still no well-done, controlled clinical trials that have shown a substantial effect of vitamin C on cancer, but some studies do suggest a mild decrease in side effects of certain cancer treatments when standard therapy is combined with high-dose IV vitamin C. Until clinical trials are completed, it's premature to determine what role intravenous vitamin C may play in the treatment of cancer. Timothy J. Moynihan, M.D. Curcumin: Can it slow cancer growth? Jacobs C, et al. Is there a role for oral or intravenous ascorbate (vitamin C) in treating patients with cancer? Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Accessed Nov. 16, 2016. Cieslak JA, et al. Treatment of pancreatic cancer with pharmacological ascorbate. 549 studies found for vitamin C AND cancer. Moynihan T (expert opinion). Rochester, Minn. Nov. 16, 2016.Why high-dose vitamin C kills cancer cells Why high-dose vitamin C kills cancer cellsWhy high-dose vitamin C kills cancer cells Carver College of Medicine
StudentsFacultyAlumni & FriendsNews Media cancer researchclinical trialslung cancerpancreatic cancervitamin Creactive oxygen species You are hereVitamins » Vitamin C Meet the staff of the Micronutrient Information Center. If you value this website, please help by donating to the MIC. The Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center provides scientific information on the health aspects of dietary factors and supplements, food, and beverages for the general public. The information is made available with the understanding that the author and publisher are not providing medical, psychological, or nutritional counseling services on this site. The information should not be used in place of a consultation with a competent health care or nutrition professional. The information on dietary factors and supplements, food, and beverages contained on this website does not cover all possible uses, actions, precautions, side effects, and interactions. It is not intended as nutritional or medical advice for individual problems.
Liability for individual actions or omissions based upon the contents of this site is expressly disclaimed. You may not copy, modify, distribute, display, transmit, perform, publish or sell any of the copyrightable material on this website. You may hyperlink to this website but must include the following statement: "This link leads to a website provided by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. [Your name] is not affiliated or endorsed by the Linus Pauling Institute or Oregon State University." February 2014 Vol. 6 Issue 21 A brief overview of its use and considerations Levine M, Padayatty SJ, Espey MG. Vitamin C: a concentration-function approach yields pharmacology and therapeutic discoveries. 2011;2(2):78-88.Riordan NH, Riordan HD, Meng X, Li Y, Jackson JA. Intravenous ascorbate as a tumor cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent. 1995;44(3):207-213.Stephenson C. Study of high-dose intravenous (IV) vitamin C treatment in patients with solid tumors. Accessed January 24, 2014.Copenhagen University Hospital at Herlev.
Vitamin C as an anti-cancer drug. Accessed January 24, 2014.Thomas Jefferson University. Pilot trial of intravenous vitamin C in refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Accessed January 24, 2014.Situs Cancer Research Center. Study of high dose intravenous (IV) ascorbic acid in measurable solid tumor disease. Accessed January 24, 2014.Hoffer J. Trial of chemotherapy plus intravenous vitamin C in patients with advanced cancer for whom chemotherapy alone is only marginally effective. Accessed January 24, 2014.Chen Q, Espey MG, Krishna MC, et al. Pharmacologic ascorbic acid concentrations selectively kill cancer cells: action as a pro-drug to deliver hydrogen peroxide to tissues. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2005;102(38):13604-13609.Ichim TE, Minev B, Braciak T, et al. Intravenous ascorbic acid to prevent and treat cancer-associated sepsis? J Transl Med. 2011;9:25.Chen P, Stone J, Sullivan G, Drisko JA, Chen Q. Anti-cancer effect of pharmacologic ascorbate and its interaction with supplementary parenteral glutathione in preclinical cancer models.
Free Radic Biol Med. 2011;51(3):681-687.Lamson DW, Gu YH, Plaza SM, Brignall MS, Brinton CA, Sadlon AE. The vitamin C:vitamin K3 system- enhancers and inhibitors of the anticancer effect. Altern Med Rev. 2010;15(4):345-351.Chen Q, Espey MG, Sun AY, et al. Ascorbate in pharmacologic concentrations selectively generates ascorbate radical and hydrogen peroxide in extracellular fluid in vivo. 2007;104(21):8749-8754.Ochi M, Lamson D. The concern about B-vitamins affecting the oxidant effect of intravenous ascorbate for malignancy. Altern Med Rev. 2011;16(Supp):1S-5S.Chen P, Stone J, Sullivan G, Drisko JA, Chen Q. Anti-cancer effect of pharmacologic ascorbate and its interaction with supplementary parenteral glutathione in preclinical cancer models. Free Radic Biol Med. 2011 May 30.Nelson DL, Lehninger AL, Cox MM. Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. The glucose/insulin system and vitamin C: implications in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Am Coll Nutr. 1998;17(2):105-108.Padayatty SJ, Sun AY, Chen Q, Espey MG, Drisko J, Levine M. Vitamin C: intravenous use by complementary and alternative medicine practitioners and adverse effects.
Lawton JM, Conway LT, Crosson JT, Smith CL, Abraham PA. Acute oxalate nephropathy after massive ascorbic acid administration. Arch Intern Med. 1985;145(5):950-951.Wong K, Thomson C, Bailey RR, Mcdiarmid S, Gardner J. Acute oxalate nephropathy after a massive intravenous dose of vitamin C. Aust N Z J Med. 1994;24(4):410-411.Mcallister CJ, Scowden EB, Dewberry FL, Richman A. Renal failure secondary to massive infusion of vitamin C. JAMA. 1984;252(13):1684.Anderson P. Intravenous vitamin C in naturopathic oncology. Paper presented at: Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians; Scottsdale, Arizona.Hininger I, Waters R, Osman M, et al. Acute prooxidant effects of vitamin C in EDTA chelation therapy and long-term antioxidant benefits of therapy. Free Radic Biol Med. 2005;38(12):1565-1570.Roussel AM, Hininger-favier I, Waters RS, Osman M, Fernholz K, Anderson RA. EDTA chelation therapy, without added vitamin C, decreases oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation. Altern Med Rev. 2009;14(1):56-61.Mühlhöfer A, Mrosek S, Schlegel B, et al. High-dose intravenous vitamin C is not associated with an increase of pro-oxidative biomarkers.