The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin C in improving the quality of life for metastatic pancreatic cancer patients who are resistant to chemotherapy.
Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal malignancy with a 5-year survival less than 10%. Approximately 80% of patients with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Chemotherapy is one of the major treatments for advanced pancreatic cancer. In 2011, a trial has shown that oxaliplatin, irinotecan, fluorouracil, and leucovorin (FOLFIRINOX) was associated with a survival advantage but had increased toxicity. In 2013, the Metastatic PAncreatic Cancer Trial (MPACT) has confirmed the efficacy of gemcitabine combined with nab-paclitaxel as the first-line treatment to metastatic pancreatic cancer. However, the side-effects related to chemotherapy including anemia, hand/foot numbness, fatigue, nausea, and malnutrition have impaired the quality of life for patients. Vitamin C, also called ascorbate, is an essential nutrient for the human body. It modulates metabolism, immune reaction, collagen synthesis, and iron absorption. Some studies have shown that high-dose intravenous Vitamin C may be effective against various types of cancer. Meanwhile, medium or low dose of Vitamin C may increase iron absorption, improve anemia, alleviate pain and hand/foot numbness, and thus improve the quality of life for patients with terminal stage pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin C on improving the quality of life for metastatic pancreatic cancer patients who are resistant to two lines of systemic chemotherapy, including gemcitabine based, fluorouracil based, or other regimen. Twenty patients who have tumor progression after receiving two lines of chemotherapy will be recruited. These patients will receive Vitamin C and the dosage is based on the concentration of baseline serum Vitamin C concentration. Quality of life, rate of hand/foot numbness, severity of pain, rate of anemia, and overall survival are measured every four weeks.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
For patients with baseline serum Vitamin C concentration \< 65 μmol/L, intravenous Vitamin C 10 g × 7 days, intravenous Vitamin C 4 g × 7 days, intravenous Vitamin C 2 g × 7 days, followed by continuously 900 mg/day, three times a day, orally. For patients with baseline serum Vitamin C concentration ≥ 65 μmol/L, continuously 900 mg/day, three times a day, orally.
Shanghai Cancer Center
Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China
RECRUITINGQuality of life (QOL)
Change of QOL after every cycle of chemotherapy assessed using European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30)
Time frame: At the end of Cycle 1 (each cycle is 28 days)
Rate of hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR)
Rate of HFSR after every cycle of treatment
Time frame: At the end of Cycle 1 (each cycle is 28 days)
Change of numeric rating scale (NRS)
Change of NRS and the administration of analgesic drugs after every cycle of chemotherapy. The range of NRS scale is 0-10 and higher scores mean a worse outcome.
Time frame: At the end of Cycle 1 (each cycle is 28 days)
Rate of anemia
Rate of anemia after every cycle of treatment
Time frame: At the end of Cycle 1 (each cycle is 28 days)
Overall survival (OS)
OS of subjects from date of randomization until the date of first documented progression or date of death from any cause, whichever came first, assessed up to 24 months.
Time frame: At the end of Cycle 1 (each cycle is 28 days)
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