January 11, 2007

CHICAGO — Federal approval of a clinical trial on intravenous vitamin C as a cancer treatment lends credence to alternative cancer care, U.S. researchers said.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America said it won Food and Drug Administration approval to begin the trial, a move the Illinois-based hospital group said adds credibility to its research into alternative methods for cancer medical care, the Chicago Tribune said Thursday. It is the first FDA-approved trial for CTCA.

Just a few patients will be eligible, said Christopher Lis, the firm’s vice president of research and development.

“Only patients who have exhausted all other conventional treatment options are eligible to receive the therapy,” Lis said.

The first phase will be to determine the optimal dose for the patients and to learn whether the treatment is safe and can be tolerated, Lis said. Additional studies over several years would be needed to demonstrate whether it is effective.

Earlier studies conducted with vitamin C supplements administered orally did not to demonstrate a clinical benefit to cancer patients.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America, with facilities in Illinois, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma, provides traditional and alternative treatment for cancer patients.