Cancer is a chronic disease where healthy cells of the body start growing abnormally and continue to divide uncontrollably resulting in destruction of body tissues. It can also grow from one part of body to another part which is called metastasis. There are four basic therapies to treat cancer conventionally. These are Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgical intervention and immunotherapy. Conventional treatments are completely disease targeted and work on Newtonian model rather than the person or the body as a whole.

More and more scientific therapies are now emerging thereby helping people live with cancer a better life. One such set of therapy is called orthomolecular therapy which deals in supplementing the body with essential vitamins, minerals and micro nutrients that not only fulfils the deficiencies of the body but also give the body a major boost of immunity, restoring essential functions, bringing vitality and internal rejuvenation via major detoxification at the cellular level.

Dr. Sujata Mittal, Senior Gynaecological Oncologist and Wholistic Cancer Coach is a Delhi based Medical Professional who has now been prescribing High Dose Vitamin C as a part of orthomolecular medicine (OM) in wide variety of patients. She swears by the efficacy of the treatment for variety of modern ailments specifically in cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s,PCOD, SLE and other chronic diseases when combined with cellular nutrition and other lifestyle changes.

Dr. Mittal says, “Immunotherapy is exploited both by conventional and nonconventional treatments. As the name implies, immunotherapy involves enhancing the defence mechanism of the body. Body has got its own intelligence which is able to understand what wrong is going on and then it tries to fight and protect us. Be it infection/ cancer, immune surveillance is like an antenna taking care of the body. When it gets weaken due to lifestyle patterns or external factors like environmental radiation, toxins, chemicals etc. different disease start taking place in the body. Cancer is one among them.”

Dr. Mittal adds, “Firstly conventional treatment does not talk about cure. It discusses about three/ five year survival rate based on studies. Secondly, medical treatment has become exceptionally costly. Third, it ignores the body as whole i.e it is not host oriented rather tumour oriented. Last but not the least, Integrative system gives rein of the life in the hands of the patient and therefore it is more person oriented.”

Without proper cellular nutrition, immune system is not able to carry its function as micronutrients are required for routine cell function. These micronutrients work also as antioxidants and carry out necessary functions of the cells including energy production. In their absence, cells genetic code gets deranged and person is prone to develop cancer. These need to be replaced and in higher doses so that cells are able to function properly and hence escape/fight invasion by cancer cells. This type of immunotherapy has minimal side effects. High dose vitamin C therapy can be given along with regular chemotherapy as it helps in reducing the side effects of it.

Nonconventional immunotherapies are mostly safe but precautions are needed while giving to the cancer patients. For example, Vitamin C cannot be given to patients having G6PD deficiency as it can lead to haemolysis. A simple blood test can be done to find out whether patient has G6PD deficiency or not. It also cannot be given to patients having cancer with heart failure. Sometimes, a mild stomach upset may occur due to large doses of Vitamin C. It may also mean body is detoxifying. As with any detoxification the electrolytes and nutritions lost need to be slowly and gradually replaced with healthy and light diet.

In high dose vitamin c therapy, patients are mostly treated on OPD basis. Drugs are definitely cheaper than conventional chemotherapies. And almost no side effects, this treatment is cost effective even if used along with chemotherapy as side effects of chemo drugs are negated with marked improvement in quality of life. Almost all types of cancers can be treated with Vitamin C high dose along with individually tailored cellular nutrition.

Benefits of Non Conventional Vitamin C therapy:

1. Detoxifies body at the cellular level

2. Helps the body get rid of heavy metals, pathogens, toxins

3. Negligible side effects

4. Prevents and stops cancer cells from growing, multiplying

5. Reduces the side effects of the chemotherapy

6. Assists in treating a variety of other disorders

7. Gives stronger bones and healthier skin

Depending upon the stage of cancer and the tolerance of the patient, the therapy can be done daily to once a week.

Historically, Vitamin C was suggested as a tool for cancer treatment in 1950’s. It is water soluble antioxidant and also increases extracellular collagen production and is important for proper immune functioning. (Hoffman 1985; Cameron et al 1979) This led to hypothesization that ascorbate replenishment would protect normal tissues from tumour invasiveness and metastasis. (McCormick 1959; Cameron et al 1979. It was found that cancer patients are often depleted of Vitamin C (Hoffman,1985; Riordan, etal, 2005), replenishment may improve immune system functioning and enhance patient health, wellbeing. (Henson, etal,1991) Cameron and Pauling observed fourfold survival rates in terminal cancer patients treated with intravenous ascorbate infusions followed by oral supplementation. So, IV injections have certainly better advantages than oral route. Studies are still going on and more are being conducted every day.