Mesothelioma Study Finds High Dose of Vitamin C Induces Cell Death In Test Tubes and Mice

A study recently published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications reinvestigated the efficacy of utilizing ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to kill malignant mesothelioma cells and found the treatment to be effective in both test tube studies and mice experiments.
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer that presently has no cure. Treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are used against this notably aggressive cancer, but none currently offer a cure. Some mesothelioma survivors have experienced an extended mesothelioma life expectancy, but much research is being conducted around the world to better understand and treat this cancer.
The use of vitamin C in cancer treatment has a controversial history. More than 30 years ago studies on vitamin C and cancer treatment began to arise and numerous studies have presented evidence both for and against the use of vitamin C as cancer therapy. Much of the controversy has involved the combination of vitamin C and chemotherapy, but according to the authors of this study, recently emerging evidence suggests that ascorbic acid in cancer treatment deserves reevaluation.
In this study Japanese researchers used pharmacological-grade ascorbic acid concentrations that resulted in mesothelioma cell death in vitro (in a test tube) and inhibited mesothelioma tumor growth in vivo (in the living, which in this study was living mice with malignant mesothelioma). Previous studies have found that vitamin C may interfere with mesothelioma chemotherapy treatment, so it is not recommended that mesothelioma patients consume high doses of vitamin C, or any other supplement, without consulting their doctor first.
According to the researchers, “In the present study, we demonstrated that high dose ascorbic acid inhibited the growth of all mesothelioma cells tested in a dose-dependent manner. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ascorbic acid that can induce mesothelioma cell death. Ascorbic acid-mediated cell death was at least due to ROS [reactive oxygen species], especially hydrogen peroxide, accompanied by the disruption of mitochondria structure. Intravenously administration of ascorbic acid was effective in tumor xenograft experiment.”
In conclusion, researchers stated “results indicate that high dose of ascorbic acid induced cell death in all mesothelioma cells tested. For clinical application of mesothelioma, further investigations will be necessary.” Thus, much research is warranted on this topic to reach a conclusive opinion on the efficacy of vitamin C in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma, especially if chemotherapy is being administered.
Additional information on mesothelioma and treatment options may be found through the Mesothelioma Center.