WHAT ARE MY TREATMENT OPTIONS IN INTEGRATIVE ONCOLOGY?

17 Apr 2018

IV Therapy for Cancer

The world of cancer treatment can be overwhelming and confusing. Chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are challenging to say the least, let alone navigating any other options out there. It’s difficult to know where to start, who to trust, and what to do. At Natural Choice Medical Clinic, our naturopathic doctors have a focus in Integrative Oncology – the use of natural treatment options alongside conventional cancer therapies. This means you get the best of both worlds to help you move through your cancer treatment as easily as possible.

One of these treatment options is high dose IV Vitamin C therapy. IVC for short, this therapy has a cytotoxic (cell-killing) effect on cancer cells. Overall, it is shown to have an inhibitory effect on cancer growth, so it is recommended to do alongside conventional treatment for the greatest benefit. Vitamin C is mainly thought of as an antioxidant, but in very high doses (levels that can only be reached with IV therapy), most of it is actually working as a pro-oxidant. It is through this mechanism that it can cause damage to cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells intact. And yes, some of it is still working as an antioxidant in healthy cells, which is why people undergoing conventional cancer treatment plus IVC may report improved energy, less nausea, and better appetite than those without IVC.1

It is important to know whether your conventional treatment protocol can be used with IVC. There are some chemotherapy drugs that are contraindicated due to interactions. But, there are also drug protocols that may benefit from IVC. IVC can be used to decrease the toxicity (side effects) of certain chemotherapies, like paclitaxel, carboplatin, or gemcitabine.2,3 Patients report decreased neuropathy (nerve pain), less fatigue, and less muscle pain when adding IVC to those treatments.

In addition to IVC, our naturopathic doctors at Natural Choice Medical Clinic in Guelph can put together a plan that includes supplementation, nutritional counseling, and stress management to address the full picture of your cancer care. We can also help you decipher any blood work you have, and answer questions about your conventional care.

If you are interested in IV Vitamin C therapy, call Natural Choice Medical Clinic tobook an appointment with one of our Naturopathic Doctors to learn more about whether IVC is right for you or your type of cancer.

In Health,

Dr. Aleksandra Gasinski, ND

References:

Vollbracht C, Schneider B, Leendert V, Weiss G, Auerbach L, Beuth J. Intravenous vitamin C administration improves quality of life in breast cancer patients during chemo-/radiotherapy and aftercare: results of a retrospective, multicentre, epidemiological cohort study in Germany. In Vivo. 2011 Nov-Dec;25(6):983-90.

Yan Ma et al. High-Dose Parenteral Ascorbate Enhanced Chemosensitivity of Ovarian Cancer and Reduced Toxicity of Chemotherapy. SciTransl Med. 2014 6, 222ra18.

Monti DA et al. Phase I Evaluation of Intravenous Ascorbic Acid in Combination with Gemcitabine and Erlotinib in Patients with Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer. PLosOne. 2012 Nov; 7(1): e29794.