Guido Tricot, MD, PhD
University of Iowa
Interview Date: March 31, 2017

In the 1970's, intravenous vitamin C was tested against solid cancers and found to have some treatment benefit. Then in the 1990's, it was tried again but this time orally. The doses that could be given and absorbed into the body were not sufficient to kill the cancer cells. Researchers at the University of Iowa have now tested mega-doses of intravenous vitamin C in combination with standard myeloma drugs. Dr. Tricot shares how they tested it with carfilzomib, bortezomib and the chemotherapy melphalan. The vitamin C/bortezomib combination only reduced the impact of bortezomib. The vitamin C/carfilzomib combo didn't look much better than vitamin C or carfilzomib alone. Pairing it with melphalan showed fascinating impact. Pairing intravenous vitamin C with melphalan made the cancer killing effect more powerful than vitamin C or melphalan alone. Even lower doses of vitamin C paired with melphalan had greater impact than high doses of melphalan. The researchers now want to test vitamin C in smoldering myeloma as a single treatment and for transplant ineligible patients over 65 who would only be able to receive melphalan in reduced doses. Learn more in this fascinating show.

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