A common vitamin could double the life expectancy of people with pancreatic cancer.
New research published in the journal Redox Biology found that high dosages of vitamin C administered intravenously could significantly increase the survival rate of patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an extremely aggressive form of cancer with very high metastatic (spread) potential. Only 3% of patients diagnosed with PDAC have a survival rate of five years, a 2019 study explained.
The new research from the University of Iowa Health Care Carver College of Medicine found that adding a high dose of IV vitamin C to intravenous chemotherapy treatment helped kill cancer cells, doubling the survival rate of patients. About 75g of the vitamin, three times a week gave late-stage patients up to 16 months survival from the average eight months.
"We found that at these high doses, ascorbate [vitamin C] actually generates hydrogen peroxide, and the hydrogen peroxide is what kills the cancer cells," Dr. Joseph Cullen, lead researcher and professor of surgery and radiation oncology at the University of Iowa, told Fox News.
Moreover, patients who received vitamin C were able to tolerate chemotherapy better, allowing them to receive the treatment over longer periods and in larger doses.
High-dose IV vitamin C also did not impact quality of life or cause severe side effects.
The groundbreaking findings are leading researchers to look into the potential benefits of vitamin C in the treatment of other types of cancer, including lung and brain cancer.
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