Vitamins, cancer and hope

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  July, 2005  by Reagan Houston

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Why Vitamins Work

When vitamin C of any type acts as an antioxidant and neutralizes free radicals, it produces dehydroascorbate, DHA. DHA may be the key to vitamin therapy. Normal cells need vitamin C and take this in mostly as DHA. Inside the cell the DHA is converted back to ascorbate, the active part of ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate. Normal cells can control the intake of both DHA and ascorbate. Dr. Benade (11) et al. at the National Cancer Institute found that in-vitro vitamin C selectively destroyed cancer cells by generating intracellular H2O2. Cancer cells are less able than normal cells to neutralize H202 because they are deficient in catalase. Dr. David Agus (12) et al. reported that cancer cells have extra glucose channels that rapidly bring in glucose and excess DHA. Cancer cells also convert the DHA into ascorbate that apparently builds up in excess and this generates cancer-killing hydrogen peroxide, H202. Thus vitamin C is safe in large doses for normal cells but toxic to cancer cells. The good clinical results of Cameron and Hoffer support the National Cancer Institute in-vitro tests. High-dose vitamin C appears to act as an antioxidant in most of the body but as an oxidant within cancer cells.

Hoffer's regime included multiple vitamins. He recommended vitamin C as ascorbic acid pills, (13) as ascorbic acid powder or as sodium ascorbate powder. The latter two were often combined into water or fruit juice to give a tasty drink. Many took some or all of the vitamin E in the form of d-alpha tocopherol succinate, commonly called vitamin E succinate or dry vitamin E, available in health food stores. The vitamin E succinate may be significant since it limits cancer growth by regulating several genes. Vitamin E and E succinate have shown only minor cancer killing power by themselves but may be of great help with vitamin C. As reported by Hoffer, Pauling said "The cancer death rate could be reduced by 25% of its present valueOif a reasonable multivitamin regimen were to be followed regularly by every person."

Why Haven't You Heard of Vitamins as a cancer therapy?

In 1973 Cameron reported the successful use of vitamin C for cancer therapy. Oncologists are trained in the use of mainline therapies. They are frequently not allowed to recommend unapproved or experimental therapies such as vitamin C. They are probably not allowed to recommend doctors or patients who know about vitamins as therapy. Most doctors knowledgeable about vitamins are not allowed to treat cancer but they can strengthen people with cancer. This fine line is important. We need oncologists and their extensive knowledge. However those who want to use vitamins to augment regular therapies must work with a second doctor who is knowledgeable about vitamins.

Antioxidants With Radiation

Many doctors object to people taking antioxidants simultaneously with radiation or chemotherapy because they believe that the vitamin C, acting as an antioxidant, "might" protect the cancer cells. However Davis W. Lamson, (14) MS, ND, summarized 36 clinical tests where antioxidants were used with radiation or chemotherapy. The antioxidants were helpful in 31 cases, neutral or possibly helpful in five and adverse in none. Judith O. Stoute (15) reviewed 44 articles regarding the use of vitamin C with chemotherapy. She found 36 positive studies or reviews, one neutral study, 2 negative reviews and 4 responses to the negative reviews. Because vitamin C, radiation and some chemotherapies appear to kill cancer by a similar mechanism, vitamin C can generally be used with radiation and chemotherapy.