15 Cancers prevented and or treated by Vitamin D - Sunil

Created July 2025

Vitamin D’s Impact on Cancer Incidence and Mortality: A Systematic Review

Nutrients 2025, 17(14), 2333; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17142333

by Sunil J. Wimalawansa ORCID

CardioMetabolic & Endocrine Institute, North Brunswick, NJ, USA

image

Background/Objectives: Adequate vitamin D levels are essential for various physiological functions, including cell growth, immune modulation, metabolic regulation, DNA repair, and overall health span. Despite its proven cost-effectiveness, widespread deficiency persists due to inadequate supplementation and limited sunlight exposure.

Methods: This systematic review (SR) examines the relationship between vitamin D and the reduction of cancer risk and mortality, and the mechanisms involved in cancer prevention. This SR followed the PRISMA and PICOS guidelines and synthesized evidence from relevant studies.

Results: Beyond genomic actions via calcitriol [1,25(OH)2D]-receptor interactions, vitamin D exerts cancer-protective effects through mitigating inflammation, autocrine, paracrine, and membrane signaling. The findings reveal a strong inverse relationship between serum 25(OH)D levels and the incidence, metastasis, and mortality of several cancer types, including colon, gastric, rectal, breast, endometrial, bladder, esophageal, gallbladder, ovarian, pancreatic, renal, vulvar cancers, and both Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. While 25(OH)D levels of around 20 ng/mL suffice for musculoskeletal health, maintaining levels above 40 ng/mL (100 nmol/L: range, 40–80 ng/mL) significantly lowers cancer risks and mortality.

Conclusions: While many observational studies support vitamin D’s protective role in incidents and deaths from cancer, some recent mega-RCTs have failed to demonstrate this. The latter is primarily due to critical study design flaws, like recruiting vitamin D sufficient subjects, inadequate dosing, short durations, and biased designs in nutrient supplementation studies. Consequently, conclusions from these cannot be relied upon. Well-designed, adequately powered clinical trials using appropriate methodologies, sufficient vitamin D3 doses, and extended durations consistently demonstrate that proper supplementation significantly reduces cancer risk and markedly lowers cancer mortality.

📄 PDF

--- 

Review of study by Perplexity AI

Table of Vitamin D and Cancer
Cancer Type Prevention Evidence Treatment/Survival Evidence Optimal 25(OH)D Level
Colorectal Cancer Strong : 50% ↓ risk per 1000 IU increase Strong : ↓ mortality with higher 25(OH)D >40 ng/mL, preferably >50 ng/mL
Breast Cancer Strong : 60-77% ↓ risk with higher intake Strong : Improved survival (meta-analyses) >40 ng/mL, optimal ≥60 ng/mL
Gastric Cancer Moderate : Inverse association with UVB/25(OH)D Moderate : Better clinical outcomes >40 ng/mL
Ovarian Cancer Strong : Inverse correlation with UVB exposure Limited data available >40 ng/mL
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Strong : ↓ risk with higher vitamin D levels Strong : ↓ mortality with adequate levels >40 ng/mL
Bladder Cancer Moderate : Higher 25(OH)D → ↓ risk Limited data available >40 ng/mL
Esophageal Cancer Moderate : Strong inverse association with UVB Limited data available >40 ng/mL
Pancreatic Cancer Limited : Some benefit with 400 IU daily* Conflicting : Very high levels may worsen outcomes Unclear - very high levels problematic
Lung Cancer Moderate : Meta-analysis shows ↓ incidence Strong : Survival benefits in stage IV patients >40 ng/mL
Thyroid Cancer Moderate : Lower 25(OH)D in cancer patients Strong : Low 25(OH)D → poor prognosis >40 ng/mL
Oral/Nasopharyngeal Cancer Moderate : Hypovitaminosis D ↑ risk Moderate : Better outcomes with adequate levels >40 ng/mL
Melanoma Moderate : Higher 25(OH)D → thinner tumors Strong : Independent prognostic factor >40 ng/mL
Prostate Cancer Conflicting : Some ↑ risk with very high levels Strong : Higher mortality in lowest tertile Complex - moderate levels may be optimal
Hematologic Malignancies Strong : Low 25(OH)D predicts poor outcomes Strong : Poor outcomes with deficiency >40 ng/mL

Key: ↓ = reduced/lower, ↑ = increased/higher, * = conflicting evidence

Most Compelling Evidence for Prevention:

  1. Colorectal Cancer : 50% risk reduction with 1000 IU vitamin D increase1

  2. Breast Cancer : 60-77% risk reduction with higher vitamin D intake1

  3. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma : Strong inverse relationship with vitamin D levels1

Strongest Evidence for Treatment/Survival:

  1. Multiple Cancer Types : Improved survival across colorectal, breast, lung, thyroid, melanoma, and hematologic malignancies1

  2. Mortality Reduction : Consistent pattern of lower cancer mortality with higher 25(OH)D levels1

Important Caveats: Pancreatic and Prostate

  • Pancreatic Cancer : Complex relationship - some benefit at moderate doses, but very high levels may increase risk1

  • Prostate Cancer : J-shaped curve - both very low and very high levels associated with increased risk1

Optimal Dosing:

  • Minimum effective serum 25(OH)D level : 40 ng/mL (100 nmol/L)1

  • Optimal range for most cancers : 50-80 ng/mL1

  • Daily vitamin D3 requirements : 70-90 IU/kg body weight (non-obese)1

  • Obese individuals : Require 3-4 times higher doses1

Mechanisms of Action:

Vitamin D reduces cancer risk and improves outcomes through multiple mechanisms including decreased cell proliferation, increased apoptosis, reduced angiogenesis, and decreased metastasis1.

The study emphasizes that current government recommendations (20-30 ng/mL) are insufficient for cancer prevention, and maintaining levels above 40 ng/mL, preferably 50-80 ng/mL, provides optimal protection against most cancers1.

1 Reference

📄 PDF

Related items in VitaminDWiki

Takes >10,000 IU daily to get 98.5% of levels > 40 ng

Doce/Response data from 36 studies

image

solid line = mean response (50% above, 50% below)

Lower dashed line = 97.5% will have achieved the level

15+ VitaminDWiki pages have SUNIL in the title

The list is automatically updated

{LIST()}

Tags: Cancer