High-Dose Vitamin C Reduces Inflammation in Cancer Patients Study Shows

WICHITA, Kan., Sept. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Inflammatory responses play roles at different stages of tumor development, including initiation, promotion, malignant conversion, invasion, and metastasis. The 'inflammation– cancer' connection is not restricted to increased risk for a subset of tumors. An inflammatory component is present in the microenvironment of most neoplastic tissues.

High inflammatory levels appear to indicate increased cancer risk and poorer prognosis. Inflammation also decreases quality of life, impairs immune functions, plays a central role in cancer cachexia, and lowers toleration of some anti-cancer therapies.

The existing level of inflammation may predict survival time for many cancers. People with the lowest levels of inflammation were twice as likely to live through the next several years.

This study analyzed the effect of high-dose intravenous vitamin C (IVC) treatment on inflammation in cancer patients.

"To our knowledge, there are no studies that demonstrated effect of high-dose intravenous vitamin C on inflammation in cancer patients," states Dr. Nina Mikirova, Director of Research at the Riordan Clinic.

Over the course of 35 years, the Riordan Clinic has administered mega dosage IVC to cancer patients, as vitamin C has been suggested as having both a preventative and therapeutic role in a number of pathologies when administered at much higher-than-recommended dietary allowance levels. The data analysis was done for patients with prostate cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, thyroid cancer, skin cancer and B-cell lymphoma treated at the Riordan Clinic by high doses of vitamin C (7.5g -50g) after standard treatments by conventional methods.

Markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein and pro-inflammatory cytokines) and tumor markers were measured during treatment. According to the data, positive response to treatment was found in 75% of patients and progression of the inflammation in 25% of patients. There was correlation between tumor markers (PSA, CEA, CA27.29 and CA15-3) and changes in the levels of inflammation.

The test of the effect of IVC on pro-inflammatory cytokines demonstrated that inflammation cytokines IL-1alpha, IL-2, IL-8, TNF-alpha, and chemokine eotaxin were reduced significantly after treatments.

Ultimately, the study found that the high dose intravenous ascorbic acid therapy affects inflammation levels and pro-inflammatory cytokines in cancer patients, and the modulation of inflammation by IVC correlated with decreases in tumor marker levels, thus reducing the ability of cancers to grow and metastasize.

This research, conducted by Riordan Clinic scientists Dr. Nina Mikirova, Dr. Joseph Casciari, Andrea Rogers and Paul Taylor, has recently been published in the Journal of Translational Medicine in an article entitled, "Effect of high-dose intravenous vitamin C on inflammation in cancer patients."

To read this and other articles written by Riordan Clinic researchers, go to http://www.riordanclinic.org/research/journal-articles/, or view the article on the Journal's website at http://www.translational-medicine.com/content/10/1/189/abstract.

The Riordan Clinic is a progressive nutrition-based medical clinic located in Wichita, Kansas. For 37 years, the Riordan Clinic has integrated lifestyle and nutrition to help patients find the underlying causes of their illness. Since the inception in 1975, the mission has been clear and unwavering to "…stimulate an epidemic of health."

SOURCE Riordan Clinic