High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C and Inflammation in Cancer Patients

High-Dose Intravenous Vitamin C and Inflammation in Cancer Patients

Chronic inflammation is a common feature in cancer and is associated with disease progression, symptom burden, and reduced quality of life. Mikirova and colleagues investigated whether high-dose intravenous vitamin C could reduce markers of inflammation in patients with cancer.
In this observational study, cancer patients receiving high-dose intravenous vitamin C were monitored for changes in inflammatory biomarkers over time. Doses were typically in the pharmacologic range (often 15–50 g per infusion), administered intravenously at regular intervals. The primary outcomes included changes in C-reactive protein (CRP), as well as other inflammatory and tumor-related markers where available.
The study found that a significant proportion of patients experienced reductions in CRP levels following vitamin C treatment, particularly those who had elevated baseline inflammation. Decreases in other markers associated with inflammation and tumor activity were also observed in some patients. These findings suggest that high-dose intravenous vitamin C may exert anti-inflammatory effects in the context of cancer, potentially through modulation of inflammatory signaling pathways.
Although this was not a randomized controlled trial and lacked a comparison group, the results reinforce the role of intravenous vitamin C as a clinically relevant supportive therapy in oncology, with anti-inflammatory effects that may contribute to improvements in symptom burden, quality of life, and overall treatment tolerance.

Reference:

Mikirova N, Casciari J, Rogers A, Taylor P. Effect of high-dose intravenous vitamin C on inflammation in cancer patients. J Transl Med. 2012;10:189. doi:10.1186/1479-5876-10-189. PMID: 22963460; PMCID: PMC3480897.