Vitamin C Intravenously With Chemotherapy in Advanced Colorectal Cancer

A Randomized Phase Ⅲ Study of IV Ascorbic Acid in Combination With FOLFOX+/- Bevacizumab vs Treatment With FOLFOX+/- Bevacizumab Alone as First-line Therapy for Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Preclinical study has shown that human colorectal cancer cells harboring KRAS or BRAF mutations are selectively killed by high levels of ascorbic acid (AA). High dose of AA aslo impairs tumor growth in Apc/KRASG12D mutant mice. Previous phase Ⅰ studies have found that high dose iv AA is well tolerated in cancer patients.This protocol is a phase Ⅲ study of AA infusions combined with treatment with FOLFOX +/- bevacizumab versus treatment with FOLFOX +/- bevacizumab alone as first-line therapy in patients with recurrent or advanced colorectal cancer.

Linus Pauling and Dr Ewan Cameron have published two retrospective studies about using high dose vitamin C to treat cancer patients forty years ago. Their studies have shown that high dose vitamin C usage could significantly prolong overall survival of patients with advanced cancer. Recently, preclinical study has shown that human colorectal cancer cells harboring KRAS or BRAF mutations are selectively killed by high levels of ascorbic acid (AA). High dose of AA impairs tumor growth in Apc/KRASG12D mutant mice. Previous phaseⅠ clinical trials have found that high dose (1.5g/kg or 90g/m2) iv AA is well tolerated in cancer patients. This protocol is a phase Ⅲ, study of ascorbic acid (AA) infusions combined with treatment with FOLFOX +/- bevacizumab versus treatment with FOLFOX +/- bevacizumab alone as first-line therapy in patients with recurrent or advanced colorectal cancer.

Inclusion Criteria:

Age≥18 years, ≤75 years; Histologically proven metastatic adenocarcinoma of colorectal cancer (stage Ⅳ disease), unresectable metastatic disease; measurable disease; G6PD status > lower limit of normal; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 to 1; Life expectancy of at least 12 weeks; ANC ≥1,500/mm3; Hemoglobin > 8g/dL; platelet ≥ 100,000/mm3; Laboratory at baseline evaluation for inclusion in the study: creatinine ≤1.5X upper limit [if the creatinine is elevated, but ≤1.5X the ULN, a 24 hour creatinine clearance will be obtained, Creatinine clearance > 50 mL/min (calculated according to Cockroft and Gault)]; Transaminase (AST/ALT) ≤2.5X upper limit of normal and bilirubin levels ≤1.5X upper limit of normal without liver metastasis; Transaminase (AST/ALT) ≤5X upper limit of normal and bilirubin levels ≤1.5X upper limit of normal with liver metastasis; Women of childbearing potential will confirm a negative pregnancy test and must practice effective contraception during the study; Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

Prior treatment for metastatic disease (adjuvant therapy with fluoropyrimidines +/-oxaliplatin based regimens allowed if stopped 12 months prior to registration on study); Surgery (excluding diagnostic biopsy) or irradiation within 3 weeks prior to study entry; Administration of any investigational drug or agent/procedure, i.e. participation in another trial within 4 weeks before beginning treatment; Concurrent chronic systemic immune therapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy (palliative radiation therapy allowed) or hormone therapy not indicated in the study protocol; Brain metastasis (known or suspected); Pregnant or lactating women; Other uncontrolled concomitant illness, including serious uncontrolled intercurrent infection; Known allergy or any other adverse reaction to any of the drugs or to any related compound; Previous (within 5 years) or concurrent malignancies at other sites with the exception of surgically cured or adequately treated carcinoma in-situ of the cervix and basal cell carcinoma of the skin; Patients who are on strong inducers of CYP3A4 which include but are not limited to: Aminoglutethimide, Bexarotene, Bosentan, Carbamazepine, Dexamethasone, Efavirenz, Fosphenytoin, Griseofulvin, Modafinil, Nafcillin, Nevirapine, Oxcarbazepine, Phenobarbital, Phenytoin, Primidone, Rifabutin, Rifampin, Rifapentine, St. John's wort; Medical, social or psychological condition which, in the opinion of the investigator, would not permit the patient to complete the study or sign meaningful informed consent; Organ allograft requiring immunosuppressive therapy; Patients with HIV infection