Korean J Fam Pract 2014; 4(4): 328-334  
High Dose Intravenous Vitamin C during Radiotherapy Impact on Breast
Cancer Recurrence
Jong-Soon Choi*, Jeong-Hwan Kim
Department of Family Medicine, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
Received: August 6, 2014; Accepted: October 8, 2014; Published online: December 30, 2014.
© The Korean Academy of Family Medicine. All rights reserved.

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Abstract
Background: Very high incidence of breast cancer is increasing every year. After breast cancer surgery and radiotherapy for
about 3 years, adjuvant therapy for the prevention of recurrence is very important, to help prevent recurrence in the adjuvant
treatment studies are lacking on. In this study, patients with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy and high dose of vitamin C
administered intravenously to help ensure reduction in recurrence rate were investigated.
Methods: We retrospective reviewed 216 women patients with breast cancer, without distant metastasis (M=0 at the tumor
node metastasis stage) and who were starting postoperative radiotherapy by Kosin University Gospel Hospital in Busan from
January 2006 to December 2010. Th e experimental group of 72 patients with radiotherapy and high dose of vitamin C (1 g/
kg) intravenously twice a week were administered three months, another 144 patients of the control group without vitamin
therapy, but radiotherapy was performed. Every year after surgery, both groups were performed several tests, performed by
chi-square test compared the 3-year recurrence rate.
Results: Intravenous administration of vitamin C in 72 people within three years of local recurrence and distant metastasis in
women who recurred in 5 patients (recurrence rate, 6.94%), 144 people in the control group of 27 women recurred patients
(recurrence rate, 18.75%) as shown vitamin C intravenously treated group compared with the control group was signifi cantly
lower recurrence rate (P=0.028).
Conclusion: Women with breast cancer receiving radiotherapy, high dose intravenous vitamin C for the prevention of recurrence
as adjuvant therapy can be considered to be helpful.
Keywords: Breast Neoplasms; Radiotherapy; High Dose Vitamin C; Recurrence


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