Low-Dose Chemotherapy
IPT Chemotherapy
Insulin Potentiation Therapy (IPT) is a low-dose chemotherapy approach that uses insulin to enhance the uptake of chemotherapy drugs by cancer cells. This allows effective treatment at significantly lower doses, reducing the burden of side effects.
What Is IPT Chemotherapy?
IPT chemotherapy works on the principle that cancer cells have a much higher number of insulin receptors than healthy cells. By administering a small amount of insulin before chemotherapy, a brief window is created during which cancer cells become highly permeable to medications. Chemotherapy drugs administered during this window are preferentially absorbed by cancer cells, allowing lower total doses to achieve targeted therapeutic effect.
How Does It Work?
The treatment begins with a controlled dose of insulin administered intravenously. Once blood sugar reaches a defined therapeutic level, a fraction of the standard chemotherapy dose is given. The insulin helps direct the drugs selectively toward cancer cells. Blood sugar is then restored to normal with a glucose solution. The entire process is carefully monitored by our medical team.
What Conditions Does It Treat?
- Various cancer types where chemotherapy is indicated
- Patients who cannot tolerate standard-dose chemotherapy
- Advanced or metastatic cancers requiring systemic treatment
- Cases where quality of life during treatment is a priority
Is CES Right for You?
CES is a gentle, well-tolerated treatment that may complement other therapies. Our specialists will assess whether it is appropriate for your condition
What a session feels like
- Before A physician checks your blood sugar and a nurse places an IV line. Physician and nurse stay at the chair for the whole session.
- During About 2–3 hours. Insulin comes first; as your blood sugar drops you may feel hungry, warm or shaky. That is the window in which the low-dose chemotherapy is given, followed by glucose to bring you back up.
- Afterwards Monitoring, then rest. Sessions are usually weekly or as set in your plan.
Evidence & Safety
IPT has been used clinically for several decades. Published literature includes clinical observations, case series, and pharmacological studies supporting the rationale of insulin-enhanced drug uptake by cancer cells. While large randomized trials are limited, the clinical experience of centers like St. George Hospital, spanning thousands of treatments, provides substantial documentation of safety and patient tolerance.
Request a consultation
A video consultation in English before you travel. A physician reviews your findings first; we reply by email within one business day (Mon–Fri).
Mon–Thu 08:00–17:00, Fri 08:00–14:00 (CET/CEST)+49 8061 398-0info@clinicum-stgeorg.de
St. George Hospital is a specialist hospital, not an emergency department. In a medical emergency in Germany, dial 112.