Vitamin D supplementation in cancer prevention and the management of cancer therapy.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to summarize the role of vitamin D in cancer prevention, carcinogenesis, and treatment, including its mechanisms of action and potential therapeutic applications.
Results Summary
The study highlights vitamin D's immunomodulatory and metabolic effects, its association with reduced cancer risk (e.g., colorectal, breast, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic), and its involvement in cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. The exact role in cancer treatment remains under investigation and varies by cancer type.
Population
Adults worldwide (general population, with emphasis on vitamin D deficiency prevalence).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vitamin D | neutral | immunomodulatory actions | - | - | exerts | #1 |
Vitamin D | neutral | calcium and phosphate homeostasis | - | - | controls | #2 |
Vitamin D | neutral | human health | - | - | significantly affects | #3 |
Vitamin D deficiency | neutral | adults worldwide | adults worldwide | approximately 60% | affecting | #4 |
Vitamin D deficiency | neutral | a range of different types of diseases | - | - | has been implicated in | #5 |
Vitamin D | neutral | cell proliferation | - | - | is involved in the regulation of | #6 |
Vitamin D | neutral | differentiation | - | - | is involved in the regulation of | #7 |
Vitamin D | neutral | energetic metabolism | - | - | is involved in the regulation of | #8 |
Vitamin D | neutral | different types of cell death | - | - | is involved in the regulation of | #9 |
Vitamin D | neutral | immune responses | - | - | is able to modulate | #10 |
Vitamin D | neutral | angiogenesis | - | - | is able to modulate | #11 |
Vitamin D deficiency | increase | some types of cancer | - | - | has been associated with an increased risk of | #12 |
Vitamin D is an important steroid hormone that exerts immunomodulatory actions, controls calcium and phosphate homeostasis, and significantly affects human health. Vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem, affecting approximately 60% of adults worldwide, and has been implicated in a range of different types of diseases, e.g., cancer. Vitamin D is involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, energetic metabolism, and different types of cell death (e.g., apoptosis, autophagy, etc.). In physiological conditions, it is also able to modulate immune responses, angiogenesis, etc., which belongs to fundamental cancer-related processes. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of some types of cancer, e.g., colorectal, breast, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, etc. The role of vitamin D in cancer prevention, carcinogenesis, and cancer treatment is still under investigation and depends on the type of cancer. This review summarizes the role of vitamin D in all three above-mentioned aspects and discusses the mechanism of action and potential possibilities in cancer treatment.