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Total lymphocyte count in cancer patients with lymphopenia treated with intravenous vitamin C: Results of an observational study

D. Rodríguez,M. Guerrero,B. M. Maldonado,C. Vollbracht,Sandra Aracely Herrera

Published 2017 in Translational Medicine Communications

ABSTRACT

BackgroundLymphopenia commonly occurs in cancer patients and predicts poor prognosis. It is caused by radio- and chemotherapy, with malnutrition and treatment-related oxidative stress playing key roles in its pathogenesis. Tumour-related morbidity is reported to be associated with reduced plasma ascorbate, which is a key physiological antioxidant and essential factor in immune function.MethodA prospective observational study was conducted on 48 cancer patients with lymphopenia (<1500/μL) to investigate the total lymphocyte count (TLC) during four weeks of elective adjuvant treatment with intravenous (iv) vitamin C 7.5 g (Pascorbin®7.5 g) once a week. TLC values at baseline (just prior to start of treatment) and after 4 weeks treatment were compared using descriptive statistics.ResultsAfter 4 weeks iv vitamin C 7.5 g, TLC increased by a mean of 211/μL (p = 0.0018). Subgroup analyses showed that, in patients with severe lymphopenia (n = 25) (TLC <1000/μL), the increase in TLC was greater with a mean rise of 368/μL (p = 0.0004), than in patients (n = 23) with an initial TLC of 1000–1500 (mean rise of 40/μL) (p = 0.6105). TLC increased by at least 240/μL in half of the patients with severe lymphopenia and by more than 610/μL in 25% of patients.ConclusionOur data indicate that iv high-dose vitamin C treatment increases TLC, which strongly implies improvement of immune function, especially in patients with severe lymphopenia. Appropriately-powered, randomized, placebo-controlled trials of iv high-dose vitamin C are now needed to define more precisely its role in the treatment of cancer-related lymphopenia and how this impacts on the patients’ clinical prognosis.

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