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Vitamin D and Cancer Survival: Does Vitamin D Supplementation Improve the Survival of Patients with Cancer?

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Clinical evidence suggesting the beneficial effects of vitamin D on survival of patients with cancer has been accumulating. Recent articles were thoroughly reviewed to determine if there is enough evidence to conclude that vitamin D supplementation improves survival of patients with cancer.

Recent Findings

Meta-analyses of observational studies showed that higher blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in patients with cancer at a variety of sites were associated with lower cancer-specific and overall mortalities. Moreover, meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) also suggested that vitamin D supplementation improved the survival of patients with cancer. However, each RCT used in these meta-analyses, as well as very recent RCTs, e.g., the SUNSHINE and the AMATERASU trial, did not show statistical significance in the primary results.

Summary

For now, compelling evidence that vitamin D supplementation effectively improves survival of patients with cancer is lacking. Thus, confirmatory RCTs are still obligatory for the future.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Acknowledgements

This review was supported by The Jikei University Research Fund for Graduate Students.

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  1. Division of Molecular Epidemiology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Nishi-shimbashi 3-25-8, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan

    Taisuke Akutsu, Hikaru Kitamura, Shoko Himeiwa, Shinto Kitada, Tatsuya Akasu & Mitsuyoshi Urashima

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Taisuke Akutsu, Hikaru Kitamura, Shoko Himeiwa, Shinto Kitada, Tatsuya Akasu, and Mitsuyoshi Urashima declare they have no conflict of interest.

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Akutsu, T., Kitamura, H., Himeiwa, S. et al. Vitamin D and Cancer Survival: Does Vitamin D Supplementation Improve the Survival of Patients with Cancer?. Curr Oncol Rep 22, 62 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-020-00929-4

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