eISSN: 2299-0046
ISSN: 1642-395X
Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postępy Dermatologii i Alergologii
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SCImago Journal & Country Rank
4/2020
vol. 37
 
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abstract:
Original paper

Efficiency of long-term high-dose intravenous ascorbic acid therapy in locally advanced basal cell carcinoma – a pilot study

András Bánvölgyi
1
,
Kende Lőrincz
1
,
Norbert Kiss
1, 2
,
Pinar Avci
1
,
Luca Fésűs
1, 2
,
Róbert Szipőcs
3
,
Tibor Krenács
4
,
Nóra Gyöngyösi
1
,
Norbert Wikonkál
1
,
Sarolta Kárpáti
1
,
Krisztián Németh
1

  1. Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Dermatooncology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
  2. Wigner RCP, Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Budapest, Hungary
  3. R&D Ultrafast Lasers Ltd; Wigner RCP, Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Budapest, Hungary
  4. 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
Adv Dermatol Allergol 2020; XXXVII (4): 548–558
Online publish date: 2019/02/26
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Introduction
The anti-cancer properties of high-dose intravenous ascorbic acid have been demonstrated in various malignancies. In our recent study, we tested topically applied ascorbic acid to treat basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and achieved a good clinical response.

Aim
Based on these results, we decided to examine the efficacy and tolerability of high-dose intravenous ascorbic acid (IVA) for locally advanced BCC.

Material and methods
In this pilot study, patients diagnosed with locally advanced BCC who were not amenable to radiation, surgical or local therapy (no other treatment option was available at the time) received intravenous ascorbic acid (1–1.8 g/kg), in an outpatient setting, 1–3 times per week for a mean duration of 42 ±23.6 weeks. This therapy was generally well tolerated.

Results
Among 4 patients who had a total of 165 (mean: 41 ±51, range: 1–114) skin lesions, 3 patients achieved stable disease and one had progressive disease. There was substantial variability in individual tumor response to therapy. With the aid of two-photon microscopy and second harmonic generation imaging techniques, alterations in collagen structure were observed between tumor nests during IVA therapy.

Conclusions
Our results suggest that IVA is well tolerated in a small group of patients with extensive BCCs. However, in the era of smoothened (Smo) receptor inhibitors, it may only be considered as an adjuvant therapy in treatment-resistant cases.

keywords:

basal cell carcinoma, vitamin C, ascorbic acid

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