Abstract
Vitamin D is not really a vitamin but the precursor to the potent steroid hormone calcitriol, which has widespread actions throughout the body. Calcitriol regulates numerous cellular pathways that could have a role in determining cancer risk and prognosis. Although epidemiological and early clinical trials are inconsistent, and randomized control trials in humans do not yet exist to conclusively support a beneficial role for vitamin D, accumulating results from preclinical and some clinical studies strongly suggest that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of developing cancer and that avoiding deficiency and adding vitamin D supplements might be an economical and safe way to reduce cancer incidence and improve cancer prognosis and outcome.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 1-alpha-Hydroxylase / metabolism
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Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
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Calcitriol / physiology*
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Cholecalciferol / physiology
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Colonic Neoplasms / metabolism
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Disease Progression
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Endocrine System
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Neoplasms / pathology*
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Neoplasms / prevention & control*
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Neoplastic Stem Cells / cytology
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Polymorphism, Genetic
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Prognosis
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Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism
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Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
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Risk
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Signal Transduction
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Steroid Hydroxylases / metabolism
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Vitamin D / physiology*
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Vitamin D Deficiency / complications
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Vitamin D3 24-Hydroxylase
Substances
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Vitamin D
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Cholecalciferol
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Steroid Hydroxylases
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Vitamin D3 24-Hydroxylase
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25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 1-alpha-Hydroxylase
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Calcitriol