CClinicalTrials.gg
TerminatedNCT01550510Updated May 6, 2025Results posted

Research Study of IV Vitamin C in Combination With Irinotecan vs Irinotecan Alone for Advanced Colorectal CA

A Phase 1/2 interventional study of Ascorbic Acid and Irinotecan in Stage IV Colorectal Cancer, sponsored by Thomas Jefferson University. Terminated at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-05-06.

Sponsored by Thomas Jefferson University · Phase 1/2, Interventional, and Treatment

Why this study was terminated
Closed: low enrollment, many treatment options available for Colorectal Cancer
Phase
Phase 1/2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
4
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This protocol is a phase I/II, study of ascorbic acid (AA) infusions combined with treatment with irinotecan versus treatment with irinotecan alone in patients with recurrent or advanced colorectal cancer who have failed at least one treatment regimen with a 5-FU based therapy. This study will be conducted as an amendment to Investigational New Drug # 77486.

Read the detailed description

Phase I: To assess whether or not (IV) Ascorbic Acid (AA) with irinotecan therapy is relatively safe and well-tolerated. This aim will be assessed by enrolling a minimum of 6 subjects meeting inclusion criteria, using a modified 3+3 design. Safety will be assessed with the following: toxicity graded by the NCI CTC, urinalysis pre- and post-infusion, basic metabolic panel, and CBC. From our experience and in the experience of our study collaborators, we hypothesize that the combination of IV AA with irinotecan will not be associated with adverse events.

Phase II: To utilize CT or PET/CT (when available) scans to evaluate disease progression to assess overall tumor response rate (complete and partial response) in subjects with advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer treated with the combination of ascorbic acid and irinotecan versus irinotecan alone.

02

Conditions studied

  • Stage IV Colorectal Cancer

Keywords

  • Stage IV Colorectal cancer
  • Colorectal Neoplasms
  • Intestinal Neoplasms
  • Gastrointestinal Neoplasms
  • Digestive System Neoplasms
  • Neoplasms by Site
  • Neoplasms
  • Digestive System Diseases
  • Gastrointestinal Diseases
  • Colonic Diseases
  • Intestinal Diseases
  • Rectal Diseases
  • Ascorbic Acid
  • Vitamins
  • Irinotecan
  • Integrative Medicine
  • Complementary Medicine
  • Alternative Medicine Antioxidants
  • Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
  • Pharmacologic Actions
  • Protective Agents
  • Physiological Effects of Drugs
  • Micronutrients
  • Growth Substances
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Therapeutic Uses
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents
  • Topoisomerase I Inhibitors
  • Topoisomerase Inhibitors
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
03

In context

Colorectal Neoplasms

5,599 studies on the registry are indexed under Colorectal Neoplasms; 1,459 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 4 is below the median of 77 across 4,123 interventional studies indexed under Colorectal Neoplasms.

Browse Colorectal Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

Thomas Jefferson University is the lead sponsor of 384 studies on the registry; 71 are open to participants now.

Of its 44 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 20 (45%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Age > 18 years
  • Metastatic colorectal carcinoma (stage IV disease).
  • Patients must have progressed on one or more prior chemotherapy treatment regimens including at least one trial of a 5-FU/oxaliplatin based therapy (FOLFOX) in combination with bevacizumab. Patients must not have had standard chemotherapy within at least 2 weeks of beginning ascorbic acid treatment provided that they have recovered from any toxicities that they experienced.
  • G6PD status > lower limit of normal
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0 to 2.
  • Laboratory at baseline evaluation for inclusion in the study: creatinine ≤1.5X upper limit (if the creatinine is elevated, but ≤1.5X the ULN, a 24 hour creatinine clearance will be obtained); transaminase (AST/ALT) ≤2.0X upper limit of normal; bilirubin levels ≥ 2 mg/dL; ANC ≥1,500/mm3; Hemoglobin > 8g/dL; platelet ≥ 100,000/mm3;
  • Women of childbearing potential will confirm a negative pregnancy test and must practice effective contraception during the study.
  • Willing and able to provide informed consent and participate in the study procedures.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with evidence of a significant current psychiatric disorder that would prevent completion of the study as determined by the PI will not be allowed to participate.
  • Co-morbid medical condition that would affect survival or tolerance as determined by the PI. This includes patients who have not fully recovered from toxicities associated with prior therapy. It also includes subjects who, as determined by the PI, are at risk of experiencing fluid overload (i.e., congestive heart failure).
  • Patients who currently abuse alcohol or drugs.
  • Patients with known glomerular filtration rate of \<60ml/min or with nephrotic range proteinuria.
  • Pregnant or lactating women
  • Enrollment in active clinical trial/ experimental therapy or IND study within the prior 30 days.
  • Contraindication for CT or PET/CT as per the PI.
  • Patients who are on strong inducers of CYP3A4 which include but are not limited to: Aminoglutethimide, Bexarotene, Bosentan, Carbamazepine, Dexamethasone, Efavirenz, Fosphenytoin, Griseofulvin, Modafinil, Nafcillin, Nevirapine, Oxcarbazepine, Phenobarbital, Phenytoin, Primidone, Rifabutin, Rifampin, Rifapentine, St. John's wort.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1 / Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
4 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Ascorbic Acid + Irinotecan

    Ascorbic Acid (50-100g, 3x weekly) with 350mg/m2 irinotecan once a week every 3 weeks

    Drug: Ascorbic Acid · Drug: Irinotecan

  • Active comparator
    Standard of Care (irinotecan alone)

    350mg/m2 irinotecan once a week every 3 weeks

    Drug: Irinotecan

Interventions

  • DrugAscorbic Acid

    3x a week for 9 weeks

    Also known as: Ascorbate, Vitamin C

  • DrugIrinotecan

    350mg/m2 once a week every 3 weeks

    Also known as: Camptothecin-11, CPT-11

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Participants That Experience Serious Adverse Events as Defined by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.0.

    Safety: The primary aim is to assess whether or not (IV) Ascorbic Acid (AA) with irinotecan therapy is relatively safe and well-tolerated according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.0.

    Time frame: 9 weeks +/- 2 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Number of Participants That Are Alive After 11 Weeks.

    To evaluate progression-free survival related to treatment of patients with advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer

    Time frame: 9 weeks +/- 2 weeks

07

Results

Posted Aug 24, 2018

Participant flow

Participant flow — Overall Study
MilestoneAscorbic AcidStandard of Care (Irinotecan Alone)
Started40
Completed40
Not completed00

Outcome measures

PrimaryNumber of Participants That Experience Serious Adverse Events as Defined by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.0.

Safety: The primary aim is to assess whether or not (IV) Ascorbic Acid (AA) with irinotecan therapy is relatively safe and well-tolerated according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.0.

Time frame:
9 weeks +/- 2 weeks

No measurements were reported for this outcome.

SecondaryNumber of Participants That Are Alive After 11 Weeks.

To evaluate progression-free survival related to treatment of patients with advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer

Time frame:
9 weeks +/- 2 weeks

No measurements were reported for this outcome.

Adverse events

Non-serious events are listed at a 0% frequency threshold.

Adverse event summary by group
GroupDeathsSeriousOther
Ascorbic Acid+Irinotecan0/4 (0%)0/4 (0%)2/4 (50%)
Standard of Care (Irinotecan Alone)———
Most frequent other events
Most frequent other events
EventAscorbic Acid+IrinotecanStandard of Care (Irinotecan Alone)
HypokalemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders1/4—
Low HemoglobinBlood and lymphatic system disorders1/4—

Baseline characteristics

The Phase 2 portion of this study never enrolled and therefore no patients were enrolled to the standard of care arm.

Age, Categorical
Age, Categorical(Participants)Ascorbic Acid+IrinotecanStandard of Care (Irinotecan Alone)Total
<=18 years0—0
Between 18 and 65 years1—1
>=65 years3—3
Sex: Female, Male
Sex: Female, Male(Participants)Ascorbic Acid+IrinotecanStandard of Care (Irinotecan Alone)Total
Female3—3
Male1—1
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Ascorbic Acid+IrinotecanStandard of Care (Irinotecan Alone)Total
Hispanic or Latino0—0
Not Hispanic or Latino4—4
Unknown or Not Reported0—0
Race (NIH/OMB)
Race (NIH/OMB)(Participants)Ascorbic Acid+IrinotecanStandard of Care (Irinotecan Alone)Total
American Indian or Alaska Native0—0
Asian0—0
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander0—0
Black or African American2—2
White1—1
More than one race0—0
Unknown or Not Reported1—1
Region of Enrollment
Region of Enrollment(participants)Ascorbic Acid+IrinotecanStandard of Care (Irinotecan Alone)Total
United States4—4
08

Study locations

1 site
  • Thomas Jefferson University
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, United States
09

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

10

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 6, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
11

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01550510
Lead sponsor
Thomas Jefferson University
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Mar 12, 2012
Start date
Dec 2011
Primary completion
Feb 2015
Completion
Feb 2015
Results posted
Aug 24, 2018
Last update
May 6, 2025

Study contacts

Daniel A Monti, MD
principal investigator · Thomas Jefferson University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is terminated, as verified in May 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion