Title: Vitamin D and cancer
Authors: L Vuolo, C Di Somma, A Faggiano, A Colao – frontiers in endo
Date of Publication: 23 April 2012
Type of Paper: Review
What are the main points:
- Increased serum calcidiol and Calcitriol are associated with decreased cancer incidence and decreased cancer aggressiveness
What are the general findings:
- Vit D may decrease incidence of prostate, breast, melanoma and colon cancer.
Summarize in your own words
- This is a review article accumulating information to explain possible mechanisms for which Vitamin D may reduce cancer risk. They then discuss vitamin D associated reduction in prostate cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, colorectal and endocrine tumors.
Compare this information to existing understanding of the topic (What’s new, different, contradicting to your previous understanding of the topic):
- New – how diffuse VDR is throughout the body. Didn’t realize the importance of Vit D binding protein. Generally considered VDR polymorphisms as a negative, but they may have some benefit in cancer prevention
- It’s overall presented as treatment should be for people with serum levels of 25 D less than 20. Would suggest increasing the cut off and titrating the dose. However, it does not appear there is evidence to support this approach at this time.
What conclusion do you come to based on the information and why:
- Imperative to treat people with serum levels less than 20 with Vit D.
What findings would you share with your audience, apply practically:
- If you are not maintaining a serum Vit D level above 20 with natural sunlight you can support with nutritional supplementation.
Notes:
- 2 types of Vit D in nature: D2 (plants) and D3 (sunshine)
- Synthetic pathway 25- and 1-alpha in liver and kidney respectively
- Transported by Vitamin D binding protein (DBP)
- Vit D metabolism is tightly regulated
- Calcitriol significant antitumor activity – SCC, prostate adenocarcinoma, breast, colon, pancreatic, leukemia, myeloma, lymphoma
- Promotes cleavage of caspase 3, polyadenyl ribose 6 phosphate (PARP) and MEK
- Inhibits phosphorylation and expression of Akt
- Vitamin D receptor – is everywhere – both benign and malignant proliferative cells express VDR
- Role Of Vit D in cancer development
- Low circulating Vit D increased cancer risk
- High intake of Vit D lower cancer risk
- Cancer, Vit D, Inflammation and Immunity
- VDR expressed in the immune system – ? immunomodulatory activity
- Calcitriol can modulate host response
- Higher VDR presence may indicate better prognosis
- VDR polymorphisms
- Some provide protection and others increase risk
- Vit D and Prostate Cancer
- Limited data for therapeutic
- Breast Cancer
- Inhances Natural killer cells
- Summary
- Levels <20 expose to cancer risk
Seeking Progress 