Vitamin D, often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin,” has been studied for its potential role in cancer prevention and treatment.
People can obtain vitamin D from various sources like sunlight, food, and supplements.
Listed below are the various food sources of Vitamin D –
- Fatty fish (like trout, salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils
- Beef liver, egg yolks, and cheese
- Certain mushrooms contain some vitamin D2.
- Cow’s milk, breakfast cereals, and orange juice are also frequently fortified with vitamin D.
Vitamin D has a crucial role in many aspects of cancer prevention and treatment. Here are some of the key roles of vitamin D in relation to cancer:
1. Cancer prevention:
- Vitamin D has been shown to have a protective effect against the development of certain types of cancer, including colorectal, breast, prostate, and lung cancer.
- Vitamin D can inhibit the growth and proliferation of cancer cells by regulating gene expression and cellular processes.
2. Tumor suppression:
- Vitamin D can act as a tumour suppressor by promoting cell differentiation, inhibiting cell growth and division, and inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells.
- It can also inhibit angiogenesis, the process of new blood vessel formation, which is important for tumour growth and metastasis.
3. Immune system modulation:
- Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the proper functioning of the immune system, which is important in cancer prevention and treatment.
- It can enhance the activity of immune cells, such as T cells and natural killer cells, to help recognize and eliminate cancer cells.
4. Synergistic effects:
- Vitamin D can work synergistically with other cancer treatments, like radiation therapy and chemotherapy to enhance their effectiveness and reduce side effects.
5. Prognosis and survival:
- More levels of vitamin D have been related to better prognosis and improved survival outcomes in cancers, including breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer.
It is important to note that the association between vitamin D and cancer is complicated, and the optimal levels of vitamin D for cancer prevention and treatment are still being investigated. Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels through sun exposure, a healthy diet, or supplementations may be beneficial for overall health and cancer risk reduction.
Here’s a summary of the roles of vitamin D in different cancer types:
1. Breast Cancer:
- Vitamin D has been found to stop the growth and proliferation of breast cancer cells.
- More levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced risk of breast cancer and improved prognosis.
- Vitamin D may enhance the effectiveness of certain breast cancer treatments.
2. Prostate Cancer:
- Vitamin D can inhibit the growth and progression of prostate cancer cells.
- More vitamin D levels are linked to a reduced risk of advanced prostate cancer.
- Vitamin D may help in prostate cancer treatment, including in combination with other therapies.
3. Colorectal Cancer:
- By controlling cell proliferation and differentiation, vitamin D can help in colorectal cancer prevention.
- Increased vitamin D levels are associated with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer and improved survival.
- Vitamin D may have a protective effect against the development of colorectal polyps, which can lead to cancer.
4. Lung Cancer:
- In both preventing and treating lung cancer, vitamin D may be important.
- It can restrict the growth and proliferation of lung cancer cells and promote apoptosis (programmed cell death).
- High vitamin D levels are linked with a decreased risk of lung cancer and good survival rates.
5. Hematological Malignancies:
- Studies have been conducted on vitamin D’s possible function in treating haematological malignancies like lymphoma and leukaemia.
- Vitamin D can start differentiation and apoptosis in certain types of leukaemia and lymphoma cells.
- Better treatment outcomes for certain haematological malignancies may be linked to adequate vitamin D levels.
It is important to note that the specific mechanisms and the extent of the beneficial effects of vitamin D may vary among different cancer types and individual cases. Further research is ongoing to better understand the precise role of vitamin D in cancer prevention and treatment.