Joseph Cullen, MD
University of Iowa College of Medicine

This study hopes to identify a way to make cancer cells more vulnerable to radiation therapy in patients with inoperable pancreatic tumors.

This entirely new approach will evaluate the benefits of delivering high doses of Vitamin C by IV during irradiation and chemotherapy.  The Vitamin C will be added to the standard regimen of chemotherapy with Gemcitabine. The science behind this method suggests the levels of hydrogen peroxide inside the cancer cells will significantly increase and weaken them.

If successful, the results will help to determine the best doses of Vitamin C for future studies and could provide benefits to all patients with pancreatic tumors. [Awarded 2014]

 

Clinical Summary
Dr. Cullen’s team proposes to investigate an entirely new approach, the use of pharmacological ascorbate as an adjuvant to radiotherapy to treat pancreatic cancer. Pharmacological ascorbate is high dose (gram quantities) of ascorbate (i.e., ascorbic acidem Vitamin C) given intravenously. Intravenous ascorbate produces high plasma concentrations in the range that is cytotoxic to pancreatic tumor cells. Pharmacological ascorbate has been hypothesized to be a pro-drug for formation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Dr. Cullen’s proposal investigates mechanisms to enhance radio sensitivity of human pancreatic cancer cells by the flux of H2O2 generated by treatment with pharmacological ascorbate. The goal of Dr. Cullen’s team is to determine the safety of administering high-dose, pharmacological ascorbate during concurrent gemcitabine-radiation therapy for the treatment of non-resectable pancreatic cancer.