Vitamin D status is associated with disease-free survival and overall survival time in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract.
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2011 Aug;268(8):1201-4. Epub 2011 Jan 8.
Gugatschka M, Kiesler K, Obermayer-Pietsch B, Groselj-Strele A, Griesbacher A, Friedrich G.
Department of Phoniatrics, ENT University Hospital Graz, Medical University Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 26-28, 8036 Graz, Austria. markus.gugatschka@klinikum-graz.at
Considerable clinical and experimental data suggest that vitamin D plays a role in pathogenesis and progression of cancer; nevertheless clinical data for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are not available. The aim of our study was to associate tumor and clinical characteristics with status of vitamin D [25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D)].
88 patients with newly diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were included in the study.
A blood draw was taken at the time of diagnosis.
The observation period lasted from 2006 until 2010.
Results: When compared to a cohort from an epidemiological study, serum levels of 25(OH)D were significantly reduced in patients with HNSCC.
We furthermore found disease-free survival, as well as overall survival times to be significantly associated with 25(OH)D levels.
In conclusion, results from our study suggest an influence of vitamin D status on cancer incidence, as well as on mortality of HNSCC.
PMID: 21221617