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Vitamin C Therapy

I am a good friend of someone who has OVC. She is experiencing a rise in her blood work, however her CAT show no tumors.  The doctor is waiting to start chemo again until they can actually see the cancer.  Meanwhile whe is pursuing other options.  Thanks to the posting on 2/26 we contacted the Walmart Vitamin C lady who has given us a name here in Portland, Maine.  She starts therapy tommorrow.  Has anyone else had experience with Vitamin C therapy?  How soon might my friend start to see her numbers go down?  Thanks
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16702 tn?1234090645
Wondering if you have heard from your friend since she started her vitamin C treament???????.
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Avatar universal
Dr. Drisko in Kansas has done a lot of studies. (with ovarian cancer also)

Google or Yahoo Drisko and Vitamin C.

Keep us informed of your good news!!!!!
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Avatar universal

Your all welcome! I know I was looking for something new and building up you immune system sounded like a great idea.  As far as I can see you really can't go wrong trying to stay healthy and take care of yourself.  I know I feel much better then I have been.  My CA 125 has dropped more then half between the chemo and Vitamin C.  Good luck to everyone and I will keep you posted on the results. My thoughts and prayer are with everyone. Diane
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16702 tn?1234090645
Thanks Diane for the info...I have been taking 3000-4000mg of Vitamin C orally since I first started chemo (Taxol/Carbo) 5 cycles ago and only reaction I have had is lose of hair.  My CT125 and blood tests, other tests are all good.  Told my doctor I would be taking this high dosage along with Reishi musrhoom and she had no problem with this.  I believe that Vitamin C is very important to my feeling so good.
Mainiac, do let us know your friend's test result each time if possible.  Would like to know how she does on vitamin C IV only (no chemo).Tks everyone
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Avatar universal
Dear Dian and everyone:

When they open this post again, I thought about you retelling your story which is rather amazing and I am glad you did.

Just for the facts:

1. There were complete responses on the weekly Taxol trial, meaning CA 125 became normal and CT scan clean.

2. By doing weekly Taxol it became similar to Avastin in the sense that it became antiangiogenic, meaning it stopped food supply and nutrients to the tumors and stops new formation of vessels that can feed tumors (not too technical but close).

Now for the theory, it is highly possible that you are like one of the patients that achieve a complete response just like in the clinical trial that used weekly Taxol. Avastin has really been proven to shrink tumors since it is antiangiogenic and tumors die if there is no food supply. If Vitamin C does the same way or catalyzes or paved the way for the weekly Taxol to work, we don't know. What is very interesting to know is what mechanics does Vitamin C do to the cancer. In this it is worth a study and research.

But what is the most important is that in this new treatment (Vitamin C) it is giving us more options to fight Ovarian cancer. In this we have good news!

Thanks
Jatoo
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Avatar universal
I was the one who post about the vitamin C back on the 26th of February.  I will try to make this short. But in the begin of December my PET/CT scan showed two large masses, 7.1 x 4.7cm and 3.2 x 2.9 in my pelvis area plus other spots on my liver lungs but nothing in my major organs cancer was everywhere. That was when they only gave me 5 to 6 months to live. My oncolgist said I was chemo resistance and should do Avastin which my insurance company would not pay for. I waited 6 six weeks to be denied at which time I kept reading the forum. So on Dec 26, 2006 I started weekly Taxol and on December 11 I had start vitamin C with an Integrative medicine doctor at Jeffson University Hospital in Philadelphia at that time I could only afford to do the vitamin C once a week. But then I found this nurse which calls herself the Walmart of Vitamin C and does the same thing at half the price or what you can afford. So on January 11, 2007 I started vitamin C twice a week. My oncologist at fist asked me to wait and I told her anything good going into my body can't be bad for me I am doing it. The Vitamin C lady I call her started me out with 30 grams twice a week for three treatments, then I went to 50 grams twice a week for three treatments and now I do 75 grams twice a week. My number are really starting to drop now.  My goal is to have a clean PET/CT scan in the next three months. I have to tell you I really didn't know if this was going to work, I was hoping for the miracle drug to come out. I didn't want to die, the only thing I could think of was in 5 to 6 months I would not be around for my 25th wedding anniversary. But this Vitamin C thing really seems to be doing the job and I have hope again. I am the first person at my cancer center who is doing this and I must say both my oncologist and oncologist/gyn don't believe the results either of my PET/CT scan which I just had on 2/22/07. They just couldn't believe that both my masses are gone completely gone. But I believe between the chemo and vitamin C I have had great results and even the people I have met have great stories to tell about their cancer too. Even our News sport guy Gary Popa goes to her he had prostrate cancer three years ago and his numbers were going up so after 6 six weeks of vitamin C his numbers went down lower then they were before. 6ABC news did a piece on the vitamin C and cancer you can find on the website. Just type in vitamin c and cancer and lots of information will come up. I wish I knew about this three years ago when I started fighting ovarian cancer. I am beginning to think there is something to be said about vitamin C, I feel great I go to the gym almost everyday and my husband and just came back from a ski trip.  If I didn't loss my hair from the chemo treatments you would never know I was fighting ovarian cancer every day.  Good luck to everyone and my prayer are with you.  Diane
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Avatar universal
This may be of interest - I believe there are specialist clinics for administering the therapy -


VITAMIN C: It can defeat cancer, after all

Thirty years after he put forward the theory, Linus Pauling
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167426 tn?1254086235
This seems to be something that we all should follow closely.  Will have daughter ask her onocol about it and try to get an opinion from them and Mayo.  
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Avatar universal
Thanks for all of your thoughts.  It will be interesting to see what happens to my friend, since she is only having these  Vitamin C treatments and no chemo at the same time like Diane. She is having her blood tested every week or two.  Her last CT125 was 170.  I will let you all know her results in the weeks ahead. Again Diane I can't thank you enough for the information you shared.  This forum is such a wonderful way for all of us to share what we know!  God bless you all!
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Avatar universal
Jatoo,

What I have read about the mechanics of Vitamin C and cancer is that high concentrations in the blood, Vitamin C acts like a toxic drug, causing disease fighting cells in the body to generate more hydrogen peroxide.  It's a agent that can attack the tumor cells, yet keep the healthy cells healthy and intact.  They say it works hand in hand with standard cancer treatment.

Some other finding that with some cancers, they have to use much higher dosages than they were using before.  Now they are finding out they want to obtain certain blood levels of Vitamin C, and at which doses the hydrogen peroxide was greatest.

They also said that the patients don't seem to get many side effects from the chem or conventional radiation.  Patients stay in remission longer, and the tumors can shrink.

But there must be something to this Vitamin C because Jefferson University Center for Integrative Medicine is doing too. I also believe Cancer Center of America are doing too.

The NCI is doing a study on this but I haven't seen any results posted yet.  Also I think a doctor was also doing a study with just ovarian cancer patients in Utah I haven't seen those results yet either.  I am hoping for positive results for us cancer patients.

Diane

PS I hope your wife is doing well.






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Avatar universal
Thanks so much for this info! I asked my oncologist about IV vitamin C six months ago and he told me he believed it was ineffective.  

I am currently in the process organising a second opinion on various things about my disease and this is another one to bring up with the new oncologist. (and sounds like it is worth a try anyway - with or without the approval of the traditional medical people)
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Avatar universal
I would tend to 'proceed with caution' if taking 'extras' while doing chemo, as some can have an adverse affect on the treatments. Perhaps as Becky suggested, it could be better to wait until all treatments are finished, then go for it re the 'extras'.
I've spoken to my Oncol. about this, and he is not keen on vitamins and supplements while I'm doing chemo. He is of the opinion, that a well balanced diet is the key.... and I guess a good appetite.
It's a tough decision.
Wishing your friend all the best for good results....Helmar.
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135691 tn?1271097123
I recently contacted my naturopathic doctor about vitamin c infusions, and the only advice she gave to me was "There are certain contraindications with vitamins and chemotherapy because they can do the opposite of chemo, which creates free radicals in the body". I am sort of stuck between chemo and a clinical trial - I have a few weeks and was looking into doing something to help while I wait. She suggested that I should wait until after all my treatments are behind me, before I jump into IV therapies such as this. Anyway, that's just the info I have - hopefully someone will come along who has actually done the treatment and can pass along more info to you.
Becky
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