Bettendorf, Iowa (KWQC) – University of Iowa researchers are studying how vitamin C can help cancer patients and their traditional treatments for three of the nation’s deadliest cancers.
They presented the first results Thursday night at the Waterfront Convention Center as part of the Medical School’s “Mini Medical School Series”.
The study involved treating certain types of cancer with intravenous vitamin C along with the patient’s usual chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Since 2008, Drs. Bryan Allen and Joseph Cullen have been studying the vitamin’s role in the treatment of brain, lung, and pancreatic cancer.
According to Cullen’s findings, the absorption of vitamins is thus increased almost 1000 times.
“When you take vitamin C orally, you get very little vitamin C in your bloodstream,” Cullen said. “What we’re doing is we’re giving large doses, very high doses, that we’re giving intravenously… and at the doses that go into the blood, it kills the cancer cells.”
“It’s pretty safe,” Allen said. “[Patients say] ‘I would like to try this.’ Often people hear about a terrible drug. us as a population.”
The additive inhibits a process almost analogous to metal rusting. At the same time, the growth of the tumor slows down and “rusts” a little.
Early trials showed that the only side effect of the therapy was thirst and, in some cases, hunger pangs during vitamin C infusions, but the effect was striking.
“In some phase 2 trials, we have shown that it does increase overall survival,” Cullen said. “In one of our phase 1 trials, specifically for pancreatic cancer, it showed very well that it prolongs overall survival. We had three long-term survivors.”
The purpose of the “mini-medical school” program is to promote and potentially attract additional trial participants.
“We want to say to the community, ‘Hey, this is great what we’re doing. That’s how we’re trying to help improve cancer care,” Allen said. “Spreading this among the community is part of our job as professors and scientists.”
A number of Phase 2 clinical trials are still ongoing. The study will then be expanded to other research hospitals in phase 3, however it is still too early to tell when these trials will begin.
Post time: Mar-06-2023