Vitamin D Research & Cancer

I. Cancer and Vitamin D: Ultraviolet light from sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancers and melanoma. Nonetheless, where sun exposure is low, rates of several cancers have been reported to be high, including prostate, breast, and colon cancer. The geographic distribution of colon cancer is similar to the historical geographic distribution of rickets. Breast cancer death rates in white women also rise with distance from the equator and are highest in areas with long winters. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 1999;889:107-19.

Included here is a link that will take you to the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Mortality Maps & Graphs:  


http://ratecalc.cancer.gov/ratecalc/

II. Dr. Edward Giovannuci, a Harvard University professor of medicine and nutrition, was a speaker at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in 2005.

His research suggests that vitamin D might help prevent 30 deaths for each one caused by skin cancer. He presented powerful data linking vitamin D deficiencies to numerous cancers. 

Among the benefits he mentioned were decreased angiogenesis (new blood vessels for tumors), metastatic potential and cell proliferation (cancer cells spreading), and increased apoptosis (cell death).

"I would challenge anyone to find an area or nutrient or any factor that has such consistent anti-cancer benefits as vitamin D." "The data are really quite remarkable."

Presentation at American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, April 19, 2005. Anaheim convention Center. Anaheim, CA

When considering a vitamin D supplement the preferred form is D3 cholecalciferol not weaker and less effective D2 ergocalciferol that many food manufacturers use to fortify their pasteurized and processed foods.