Researchers discovered that a highly-concentrated dose of vitamin C is “selectively” toxic to cancer cells, meaning the high dose of vitamin C harms cancer cells but not healthy tissue. Yet, when this treatment was coupled with the addition of the enzyme catalase the cancer-killing effect of the treatment was reduced significantly. This led researchers to believe that the high dose vitamin C infusion resulted in the production of large quantities of hydrogen peroxide, which initially caused a cancer killing effect that was then neutralized by the addition of the enzyme catalase. This suggested that cancer cells do not produce a sufficient amount of catalase to neutralize high levels of hydrogen peroxide on their own. In fact, we now know that a large number of cancer cells produce small amounts of catalase in order to sustain low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. This creates the cancer friendly environment of mild oxidative stress that encourages malignant cells to grow rapidly and become more aggressive.
Fortunately for everyone, because a high proportion of cancers are only able to produce small amounts of catalase, they are very vulnerable to the cancer-killing effect exhibited by high levels of hydrogen peroxide. Dr. Mark Levine, an internationally acclaimed researcher at the National Institutes of Health, led a team of researchers to analyze the cancer-killing effect of high-dose vitamin C treatment. They discovered that after a high dose and rapid intravenous infusion of vitamin C, large concentrations of vitamin C can be reached in the extracellular space. There, vitamin C reacts spontaneously with the molecular oxygen within tumors and generates large amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which is lethal to tumor cells that produce only small amounts of catalase. The irony here is astounding. For years, vitamin C has been recognized as one of the most powerful anti-oxidants available.How can a substance with anti-oxidant properties, produce levels of oxidative stress sufficient to kill cancer?
The answer is simple. The effect of vitamin C within the body is dose dependent. In fact, there are many substances that render very different effects depending on the size of the dose. Do not forget that the difference between a venom and a cure is often in the amount. Hard to believe, but even drinking too much water can kill you. Way back in the 1970’s, the Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr. Linus Pauling collaborated with a British cancer surgeon, Ewan Cameron. They promoted the intravenous and oral administration of high-dose vitamin C treatment for terminal cancer patients. Pauling believed that anti-oxidant therapy was the way to kill cancer cells. In two published clinical trials they reported that patients significantly prolonged their lives and enjoyed an improved quality of life. Pauling and Cameron used a megadose of 10 grams administered intravenously followed by an additional 10 grams administered orally! Many criticized him for such an irresponsible amount. In later years, C.G. Moertel conducted controlled clinical studies at the Mayo Clinic and reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that he was unable to replicate the results of Pauling and Cameron.
Many considered the case for high-dose vitamin C treatment closed. Nevertheless, thirty years later, researchers from the National Institutes of Health found it necessary to reopen the case in view of recent research. Mark Levine’s team concluded that C.G. Moertel’s studies failed because he only administered the vitamin C orally. The research at the National Institutes of Health has proven that in order to consistently achieve the concentration of vitamin C sufficient to provoke oxidation, a patient must receive dozens of grams of intravenous infusions of vitamin C. Oral administration is completely ineffective in this regard.10 A number of published case reports show that repeated high-dose intravenous vitamin C treatments yield objective tumor regression. These case reports are so compelling that intravenous vitamin C therapy is currently being formally evaluated in clinical trials at the NIH. In theory, high-dose vitamin C therapy should not cause toxic damage to healthy tissue because the body produces sufficient amounts of catalase to efficiently neutralize the hydrogen peroxide produced.
Our experience in the real world certainly supports the theory. We have treated hundreds of patients in this manner with no side effects. Our current protocol insures blood and tissue levels of vitamin C that are safe and effective to kill cancer cells. Yet, a burning question still remains. Why hasn’t this therapy worked for everyone? There are three variables that can undermine the effectiveness of this therapy. First, some tumors produce larger amounts of catalase which neutralizes the oxidizing effect of hydrogen peroxide. Second, sometimes there is an insufficient number of catalysts to promote the transfer of electrons. Third, sometimes there is an insufficient amount of oxygen in the extracellular space, which is needed in order for vitamin C to produce hydrogen peroxide. For now, scientists have not found a way to selectively block the production of catalase within tumors. However, we can definitively increase the effectiveness of this therapy by providing two supporting agents—electron transfer catalysts and tumor oxygenating agents.
Vitamin K3 is a synthetic form of Vitamins K1 and K2. Vitamin K3 is used in pre and post treatment for low dose chemotherapy, as it prevents metastasis. Vitamin K3 is administered just prior to the Vitamin C infusions. It has been shown that the inclusion of K3 infusions will markedly potentiate generation of hydrogen peroxide tumors, enabling a more substantial cell kill in those cancers that are sufficiently low in catalase activity. , or chat with us live. We are here to answer any questions and to help you schedule a personal consultation with an Integrative Cancer Specialist. Click on “Get Started” to fill out a medical questionnaire. You will receive an email confirmation once your medical questionnaire has been submitted.The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has published an online guide for patients interested in using intravenous vitamin C for cancer, “PDQ Cancer Information Summaries,” available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK127724/#CDR0000742253__18
Among the findings published in their summary: Studies of vitamin C alone: “Intravenous (IV) vitamin C was studied in patients with breast cancer who were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The study found that patients who received IV vitamin C had better quality of life and fewer side effects than those who did not. “A study of IV vitamin C and high doses of vitamin C taken by mouth was done in patients with cancer that could not be cured. Vitamin C was shown to be a safe and effective therapy to improve quality of life in these patients, including physical, mental, and emotional functions, symptoms of fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, and appetite loss. “Vitamin C has been shown to be safe when given to healthy volunteers and cancer patients at doses up to 1.5 g/kg, while screening out patients with certain risk factors who should avoid vitamin C. Studies have also shown that Vitamin C levels in the blood are higher when taken by IV than when taken by mouth, and last for more than 4 hours.”
Studies of vitamin C combined with chemotherapy drugs: “In a small study of 14 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, IV vitamin C was given along with chemotherapy and treatment with a targeted therapy. Patients had very few bad side effects from the vitamin C treatment. The nine patients who completed the treatment had stable disease as shown by imaging studies. “In another small study of 9 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, patients were given chemotherapy in treatment cycles of once per week for 3 weeks along with IV vitamin C twice per week for 4 weeks. These patients had disease that did not progress for a period of months. The combined treatment was well tolerated and no serious side effects were reported. “In a 2014 study of 27 patients with advanced ovarian cancer, treatment with chemotherapy alone was compared to chemotherapy along with IV vitamin C. Patients who received IV vitamin C along with chemotherapy had fewer serious side effects from the chemotherapy.”
Some studies from the medical literature regarding IV vitamin C and cancer: 2 patients with advanced ovarian cancer had remission with 60 gm IV vitamin C twice a week Drisko JA et al. J Am Coll Nutr. Riordan published a summary of 7 patients: Renal cell carcinoma (2), Colorectal cancer (1), Pancreatic cancer (1), Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (2) and breast cancer (1). All patients seriously ill with “untreatable” metastatic disease, but experienced complete remissions or cures Riordan HD et al. P R Health Sci J. 2004 Jun;23(2):115-118. Padayatty reported on 3 patients (metastatic kidney cancer, bladder cancer and stage III diffuse B-cell lymphoma) improved or cured with 30 – 60 gm doses Padayatty SJ et al. CMAJ. A meta-analysis analyzed 37 studies including 2 randomized controlled trials, 15 uncontrolled trials, 6 observational studies, and 14 case reports. Results showed IV vitamin may increase time to relapse and possibly reduce tumor size and improve survival, particularly combined with standard chemotherapy.
Improvements were shown in quality of life, physical function, chemotherapy-induced toxicity such as reduced fatigue, nausea, insomnia, constipation, and depression. Several case reports showed tumor regression and long-term disease-free survival after use of IV vitamin C. Fritz H et al. Intravenous Vitamin C and Cancer: A Systematic Review. Parrow NL et al. Parenteral Ascorbate as a Cancer Therapeutic: A Reassessment Based on Pharmacokinetics. Intravenous Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) offers a fresh, new approach to assist in the treatment of cancer. Thanks to the work of Dr. Mark Levine at the NIH and others, the mechanisms of IV vitamin C are now better understood. Vitamin C serves as a double-edged sword In low (physiological) doses it acts as an antioxidant and neutralizes free radicals In high (therapeutic) doses, it acts as an oxidant prodrug, raising levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This increases free radical production and can kill cancer cells.
We now know that cancer-killing (cytotoxic) levels of vitamin C in the body can only be achieved through Intravenous administration. To kill cancer cells, blood levels of vitamin C need to be at least 1000 µmol/L Maximum oral serum level = 220 µmol/L and are not high enough to kill cancer cells Levels 50 – 70 times higher (10,000 -16,000 µmol/L are possible via the intravenous route and are more than high enough to kill cancer cells At high serum levels, vitamin C changes from an antioxidant to a pro-oxidant The reason: at high doses vitamin C increases levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) Mark Levine, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, September 12-16, 2005 Unlike cancer cells, healthy cells are not hurt or damaged by high dose IV vitamin C Intravenous administration of vitamin C can selectively kill cancer cells (or infectious agents) without harming normal cells Reason: healthy cells possess catalase Catalase breaks hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) down into its components, water (H2O) & oxygen (O)