Hi everyone,
I have looked at a lot of reports on high dose intravenous (IV) vitamin C and I do like what I read and see!
Have any of you considered this or has anyone received high dosage IV vitamin C?
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Much love,
Lee
Forums
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Leepa - Who do you know with myeloma?: My Dad
- When were you/they diagnosed?: January 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 58
Re: High dose intravenous vitamin C
Be careful, especially if you have renal issues as a result of multiple myeloma.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20628650
Note that Dr. Berenson is one of my docs and he has never suggested taking Vitamin C even though he did this study that involved it back in 2007.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17010047?dopt=Abstract
From: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/highdosevitaminc/healthprofessional/page5#Reference5.17
...A number of studies have included IV ascorbic acid treatment (1,000 mg) with arsenic trioxide regimens, with mixed results. The combination therapies were well tolerated and suggested beneficial effects in multiple myeloma patients, although the specific contribution of vitamin C could not be determined.[14-17] However, similar combination regimens resulted in severe side effects and disease progression in patients with acute myeloid leukemia,[18] refractory metastatic colorectal cancer,[19] and metastatic melanoma.[20]
If you are talking Velcade, be extra careful:
...However, other animal studies have shown that vitamin C interferes with the anticancer action of certain drugs, including the following: Mouse models of human lymphoma and multiple myeloma treated with combinations of vitamin C and chemotherapy or the drug bortezomib had more tumor growth than mice treated with bortezomib alone. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0054448/
I am a believer in the use of antioxidants to hold this disease at bay (and I take a lot or oral Vitamin C in addition to other antioxidants). Just saying you should proceed carefully and with a great deal of caution and really do your homework here. Supplements are drugs.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20628650
Note that Dr. Berenson is one of my docs and he has never suggested taking Vitamin C even though he did this study that involved it back in 2007.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17010047?dopt=Abstract
From: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/highdosevitaminc/healthprofessional/page5#Reference5.17
...A number of studies have included IV ascorbic acid treatment (1,000 mg) with arsenic trioxide regimens, with mixed results. The combination therapies were well tolerated and suggested beneficial effects in multiple myeloma patients, although the specific contribution of vitamin C could not be determined.[14-17] However, similar combination regimens resulted in severe side effects and disease progression in patients with acute myeloid leukemia,[18] refractory metastatic colorectal cancer,[19] and metastatic melanoma.[20]
If you are talking Velcade, be extra careful:
...However, other animal studies have shown that vitamin C interferes with the anticancer action of certain drugs, including the following: Mouse models of human lymphoma and multiple myeloma treated with combinations of vitamin C and chemotherapy or the drug bortezomib had more tumor growth than mice treated with bortezomib alone. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0054448/
I am a believer in the use of antioxidants to hold this disease at bay (and I take a lot or oral Vitamin C in addition to other antioxidants). Just saying you should proceed carefully and with a great deal of caution and really do your homework here. Supplements are drugs.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: High dose intravenous vitamin C
Hi Leepa,
I am also very interested in finding out if anyone with multiple myeloma has been doing high dose intravaneous Vitamin C during their initial chemo (CyBorD).
It is true that an ORAL dose of 1000mg has been shown to interfere with Velcade (the "Bor" part of CyBorD - bortezomid).
The results of this study were published in Nature, and the theory is that the antioxidant quality of Vitamin C gives a boost to the cancer cells and attenuates the Velcade:
G Perrone et al, "Ascorbic acid inhibits antitumor activity of bortezomib in vivo," Leukemia, April 2009 (full text of article)
At the end of this other article, you can see a footnote that the doctor said you could take vitamin C on days other than Velcade days, and also eat fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin C whenever:
"Vitamin C Inhibits Anti-Myeloma Activity Of Velcade," The Myeloma Beacon, Nov 18, 2009
However to be clear, both of these articles are talking about a VERY LOW DOSE of vitamin C where it is just an antioxidant.
Leepa, your question was actually about using high dose vitamin C IV therapy, where the blood plasma levels of vitamin C climb above 1000 mmol/L. At this dose, vitamin C actually becomes PRO-OXIDANT and selectively targets cancer cells. There is no research on this protocol specifically with Velcade or in myeloma as far as I can find.
However here are some that are almost close enough:
Thank you!
I am also very interested in finding out if anyone with multiple myeloma has been doing high dose intravaneous Vitamin C during their initial chemo (CyBorD).
It is true that an ORAL dose of 1000mg has been shown to interfere with Velcade (the "Bor" part of CyBorD - bortezomid).
The results of this study were published in Nature, and the theory is that the antioxidant quality of Vitamin C gives a boost to the cancer cells and attenuates the Velcade:
G Perrone et al, "Ascorbic acid inhibits antitumor activity of bortezomib in vivo," Leukemia, April 2009 (full text of article)
At the end of this other article, you can see a footnote that the doctor said you could take vitamin C on days other than Velcade days, and also eat fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin C whenever:
"Vitamin C Inhibits Anti-Myeloma Activity Of Velcade," The Myeloma Beacon, Nov 18, 2009
However to be clear, both of these articles are talking about a VERY LOW DOSE of vitamin C where it is just an antioxidant.
Leepa, your question was actually about using high dose vitamin C IV therapy, where the blood plasma levels of vitamin C climb above 1000 mmol/L. At this dose, vitamin C actually becomes PRO-OXIDANT and selectively targets cancer cells. There is no research on this protocol specifically with Velcade or in myeloma as far as I can find.
However here are some that are almost close enough:
- This study “Modulatory effect of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) on cyclophosphamide-mediated antitumor activity and mutagenicity in mice bearing ascites Dalton's lymphoma” (link to full text) shows clearly that the best results in a very controlled trial of mice occurred through using chemotherapy combined with high dose vitamin C. But it’s just a mouse study. Mice lived WAAAAAY LONGER with the combo.
- This article, “High Dose Intravenous Vitamin C Combines with Cytotoxic Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Phase I-II Clinical Trial” (LJ Hoffer et al, PLOS One, April 7, 2015 - link to full text) isn’t really conclusive (benefits were at a probability level of less than 33%) but didn’t show any adverse events. The blood concentrations of vitamin C were only measured at less than 1000 mmol/L however …
Thank you!
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withbellsMM - Name: WithbellsMM
- Who do you know with myeloma?: My mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Sept 21, 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 64
Re: High dose intravenous vitamin C
Hi Lee,
I have been taking vitamin C since diagnosis; high doses of vitamin C orally, on and off, settling right now on 3 grams. Also take a number of other supplements.
I was diagnosed in December, 2012; had a corpectomy as my cervical vertebrae 6 and 7 were involved, and had an autograft for those. Thought it was a solidary plasmacytoma, but then I had lesions elsewhere.
I only took very lose dosage of dex and Revlimid. My IgG's were originally really high - 7400 plus; had some radiation on my neck. Wasn't interested in a stem cell transplant.
Stopped medication in August 2014 after gaining 40 pounds and having edema in both legs. M-spike was 1.0 g/dL (10 g/l) then. Since then, I am medication-free per my own wishes and feel super healthy.
My M-spike has gone up, but seems to be stable. So for the time being I do what feels best for me; pretending that I am smoldering
I am not excluding doing chemo again.
Kate
I have been taking vitamin C since diagnosis; high doses of vitamin C orally, on and off, settling right now on 3 grams. Also take a number of other supplements.
I was diagnosed in December, 2012; had a corpectomy as my cervical vertebrae 6 and 7 were involved, and had an autograft for those. Thought it was a solidary plasmacytoma, but then I had lesions elsewhere.
I only took very lose dosage of dex and Revlimid. My IgG's were originally really high - 7400 plus; had some radiation on my neck. Wasn't interested in a stem cell transplant.
Stopped medication in August 2014 after gaining 40 pounds and having edema in both legs. M-spike was 1.0 g/dL (10 g/l) then. Since then, I am medication-free per my own wishes and feel super healthy.
My M-spike has gone up, but seems to be stable. So for the time being I do what feels best for me; pretending that I am smoldering
I am not excluding doing chemo again.Kate
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Kate - Name: Kate
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Dec. 2012
Re: High dose IV vitamin C
Vitamin C - not only safe and effective in combination with Velcade, but saves nerve cells from damage (neuropathy)?
A Nakano et al, "Delayed treatment with vitamin C and N-acetyl-L-cysteine protects Schwann cells without compromising the anti-myeloma activity of bortezomib," International Journal of Hematology, June 2011 (abstract)
A Nakano et al, "Delayed treatment with vitamin C and N-acetyl-L-cysteine protects Schwann cells without compromising the anti-myeloma activity of bortezomib," International Journal of Hematology, June 2011 (abstract)
Re: High dose intravenous vitamin C
I have been in "remission" since June 2015 and I am not on any maintenance therapy. Lately, a friend who is also an MD and Phd in cancer research suggested that I should start going into a high-dose IV vitamin C (50 grams per day) every day to achieve a complete remission and increase my immune system.
I have been reading (a lot of pros and cons) so I am very much in a confused state right now. I know that if I ask my oncologist, she would be against taking this high-dose therapy.
What should I do? I am most grateful for any suggestion.
Thanks,
E1T
By the way, I did get a shingle breakout just a few months ago, and my MD friend told me that that was an indication that my immune system is still low and the shingles could comeback again or the myeloma can come back in a big way.
I have been drinking green tea also for at least a year and half.
I have been reading (a lot of pros and cons) so I am very much in a confused state right now. I know that if I ask my oncologist, she would be against taking this high-dose therapy.
What should I do? I am most grateful for any suggestion.
Thanks,
E1T
By the way, I did get a shingle breakout just a few months ago, and my MD friend told me that that was an indication that my immune system is still low and the shingles could comeback again or the myeloma can come back in a big way.
I have been drinking green tea also for at least a year and half.
Re: High dose intravenous vitamin C
Personally, my understanding is that, when it comes to high dose vitamin C, the efficacy and safety are still unclear. So I'd side-step the vitamin C treatment until there's better evidence.
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igoldsmid - Name: Ian
- Age at diagnosis: 62
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