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Vitamin D may increase survival rates for those with breast and bowel cancer

  • Patients with higher levels of vitamin also remain in remission for longer

By
Emma Innes


Published:

12:02 EST, 29 April 2014

|
Updated:

12:08 EST, 29 April 2014

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comments

Vitamin D from sunshine increases the survival rates of cancer sufferers, new research suggests.

The vitamin is particularly beneficial for people with breast cancer, bowel cancer and lymphoma.

The nutrient is made by the body under the skin in reaction to summer sunlight and found in oily fish, such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, eggs and fortified fat spreads, breakfast cereals and powdered milk.

The sunshine vitamin – vitamin D – improves cancer survival rates, new research suggests

It helps the body absorb the calcium and phosphorus needed for healthy bones and affects a variety of biological processes by binding to a protein called a vitamin D receptor.

This receptor is present in nearly every cell in the body.

A new study found cancer patients who have higher levels of vitamin D when they are diagnosed tend to have better survival rates and remain in remission longer than patients who are vitamin D deficient.

Scientists reviewed all previous research to acknowledge the health benefits of the vitamin.

People with high levels of the vitamin are up to four per cent more likely to survive cancer than those who are vitamin D deficient

Professor
Hui Wang, of the Institute for Nutritional Sciences at the Shanghai
Institutes for Biological Sciences, said: ‘By reviewing studies that
collectively examined vitamin D levels in 17,332 cancer patients, our
analysis demonstrated that vitamin D levels are linked to better
outcomes in several types of cancer.

‘The
results suggest vitamin D may influence the prognosis for people with
breast cancer, colorectal cancer and lymphoma, in particular.’

The study, published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism, looked at 25 separate studies that measured vitamin D levels in cancer patients at the time of diagnosis and tracked survival rates.

In most of the research, patients had their vitamin D levels tested before they underwent any treatment for cancer.

The study found a 10nmol/L increase in vitamin D levels was linked to a four per cent increase in survival among people with cancer.

However, the study found the effect was less for those suffering from lung cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer, leukaemia, and melanoma.

Professor Wang said: ‘Considering that vitamin D deficiency is a widespread issue all over the world, it is important to ensure that everyone has sufficient levels of this important nutrient.

‘Physicians need to pay close attention to vitamin D levels in people who have been diagnosed with cancer.’

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Comments (12)

what you think

The comments below have not been moderated.

LibertyAvo,

Colorado, United States,

2 hours ago

I’ve read that you need to get all of your skin in the sun for at least 30 minutes a day to maintain healthy vitamin D levels. How many people are sunbathing nude in colder climates? Let alone every day. A high quality vitamin D supplement is the answer.

Atavist,

Little Oakley, United Kingdom,

8 hours ago

I was out on a bike ride today after festering in front of screens for too long, I feel much better, perked up and younger.

ShimmyJimmyCocopop,

Dublin, Ireland,

12 hours ago

Only this morning you had an article on 5 people with skin cancer and warning us all to stay out of the sun and now this!?? LOL

Josephina,

Gillsville, United States,

10 hours ago

The study is to take a vitamin D not get out in the sun!

Queen Delevingne,

Super Cool, Antarctica,

13 hours ago

I take 2,000 IUD a day, and I’m 20. It’s never too early.

JoeEsty,

Denver,

15 hours ago

I pay no attention to idiot “experts.” I speak of the one’s who say stay out of the sun, get your tonsils removed, take Lipitor, recommend chemotherapy. In the end, they are all proven wrong.

pippadee,

cardiff, United Kingdom,

15 hours ago

I have seen many reports of vitamin D3 (at much higher levels than mentioned in this article) having a very significant positive effect on cancer prognosis. We all need adequate levels for a healthy immune system, and a healthy immune system is necessary to fight cancer. We don’t get enough vitamin D from our diet, and supplements tend to be far too low dose and we don’t always absorb it well. Sunlight (UVB) is apparently the best way to boost our levels, but we can only do so between April and September in UK. Sunscreen will stop the necessary UVB rays (factor 4 blocks 75% and factor 20 blocks 95%). We all need some sun regularly. Excessive sun and sunburn is to be avoided, but in recent years sunlight has been demonised so people are afraid of the sun, use toxic (possibly carcinogenic sunblocks) and now probably have lower vitamin D levels than a couple of decades ago.

Reporting1-,

Bristol, United Kingdom,

15 hours ago

I go abroad every year and sunbath but when at home am working a lot of the time and was told my vitamin d level was low and advised to sit in the sun but when do we get time to sit in the sun these days and if the weather is nice when we have a day off work it would be nice if the sun was out.

Smc,

London,

15 hours ago

Sunshine – great for cancer (just don’t tell anyone suffering from skin cancer).

null,

13 hours ago

I live in Australia and my levels are always low. As a nurse we see thousands of patients with breast and bowels cancers ..Australia is obsessed with colonoacopy and breast screening..what can I say..maybe they need to look into the chemicals in foods and genetics

RHill,

Edinburgh, United Kingdom,

18 hours ago

The fact that the UK has 266 cases per 100,000 of population and Australia has 314 cases per !00,000 shows that this study is a load of nonsense.

Stel,

Philadelphia, United States,

16 hours ago

Way too many other variables involved to make that conclusion.

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