A GROUNDBREAKING clinical trial has found that adding high-dose intravenous vitamin C (pharmacological ascorbate, P-AscH−) to standard chemotherapy significantly extends survival in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. The study demonstrated that patients receiving P-AscH− alongside gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel nearly doubled their median overall survival compared to those receiving chemotherapy alone.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most aggressive cancers, with a poor prognosis and limited treatment options. In this randomized trial, researchers divided 36 patients with stage IV pancreatic cancer into two groups: one receiving standard chemotherapy (gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel) and the other receiving the same regimen with additional high-dose vitamin C infusions (75g three times per week). The results were striking, patients in the vitamin C group had a median overall survival of 16 months, compared to just 8.3 months in the control group. Furthermore, progression-free survival, a key indicator of treatment effectiveness, was also extended from 3.9 months to 6.2 months.
Importantly, the addition of pharmacological ascorbate did not worsen patients’ quality of life or increase adverse effects, making it a potentially game-changing, well-tolerated treatment option. The mechanism behind vitamin C’s benefit is still under investigation, but researchers suggest it may enhance oxidative stress in cancer cells, making them more vulnerable to chemotherapy.
These findings pave the way for larger trials to confirm the efficacy of pharmacological ascorbate in pancreatic cancer. Given the dire need for new treatment strategies, this study provides a hopeful step forward in improving survival for patients facing one of the deadliest cancers.
Aleksandra Zurowska, EMJ
Reference
Bodeker et al. A randomized trial of pharmacological ascorbate, gemcitabine, and nab-paclitaxel for metastatic pancreatic cancer. Redox Biol. 2024;77:103375.
