Higher vitamin D = higher cancer survival

Researchers in a Cancer Causes and Control study investigated the association between serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) and risk of death in breast, colon, lymphoma, and lung cancer patients during 1984–2004 and followed for death throughout 2008. Patients with 25-OHD levels below 46 nmol/L at diagnosis experienced shorter survival. Compared to patients in the lowest quartile of serum 25-OHD, the risk of cancer death among patients in the highest quartile was significantly reduced. The estimated change in risk of cancer death was most pronounced between the first and the second quartile. The associations between 25-OHD levels and survival were observed for all four cancers. In conclusion, higher circulating serum levels of 25-OHD were positively associated with the survival for cancers of the breast, colon, lung, and lymphoma.