Leukemia (Both ALL and AML) clinical trials

Changing Over Time of Ascorbic Acid After Chemotherapy

Rationale: Recent studies showed that ascorbic acid (AA) stimulates proliferation and maturation of T lymphocytes and NK cells. Chemotherapy results in depletion of those cells and thereby an increased infection rate. A pilot study showed low levels of AA in the plasma of several patients after chemotherapy for hematological malignancies. AA suppletion could be beneficial to the recovery of the immune system in these patients. But before an intervention study can be undertaken, further understanding of changing over time of AA levels and the relationship with the immune status after chemotherapy is necessary. Objective: The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate the changing over time of AA levels in plasma and in leukocytes before and during chemotherapy treatment for several different groups of patients and compare that to healthy controls. In this way we want to identify the patients were further interventions could be useful and use the data in the development of an intervention study for power calculations and to identify the primary endpoint. Study design: observational study Study population: There will be 6 different groups of participants in the study: two groups of patients that receive clinical intensive chemotherapy (acute leukemia and high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue), two groups of patients that receive relatively mild chemotherapy in outpatient setting (colon cancer and lung cancer) and two control groups. All participants will be adults and recruited at the MUMC+. In total there will be 150 participants. Main study parameters/endpoints: Influence of chemotherapy on AA levels in plasma and in leukocytes.