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Vitamin D & Endometrial Cancer
Prevention
Using
newly available data on worldwide cancer incidence, scientists at the Moores
Cancer Center at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have shown a clear
association between deficiency in exposure to sunlight, specifically ultraviolet
B (UVB), and endometrial cancer.
UVB exposure triggers photosynthesis of vitamin D3 in the body. This form of
vitamin D is also available through diet and supplements. Prior studies from
this research team have shown associations between higher levels of vitamin D3
and lower risk of cancers of the breast, colon, kidney and ovary.
Approximately 200,000 cases and 50,000 deaths from endometrial cancer occur
annually worldwide, including 41,000 new cases and 7,400 deaths in the United
States.
The study will be published November 16, 2007, in the journal Preventive
Medicine.
This is the first study, to our knowledge, to show that higher serum levels of
vitamin D are linked to reduced risk of endometrial cancer, said Cedric F.
Garland, Dr. P.H., professor of Family and Preventive Medicine in the UCSD
School of Medicine, and member of the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. Prior
epidemiological studies have focused on estrogen levels either natural or
through hormone replacement treatment which play the major role in development
of the disease, and on fat intake, which plays a smaller role. Since most women
cannot control their natural levels of estrogen, and very low levels of fat
intake are not acceptable to most American women, this article provides evidence
that vitamin D adequacy should be considered as part of a comprehensive program
for prevention of this cancer.
This paper used worldwide data only recently available through a new tool called
GLOBOCAN, developed by the World Health Organizations International Agency for
Research on Cancer. GLOBOCAN is a database of cancer incidence, mortality and
prevalence for 175 countries.
The scientists created a graph with a vertical axis for endometrial cancer
incidence rates, and a horizontal axis for latitude. The latitudes range from
-50 for the southern hemisphere, to zero for the equator, to +70 for the
northern hemisphere. They then plotted incidence rates for 175 countries as per
latitude. The resulting chart was a parabolic curve that looks like a smile.
In general, endometrial cancer incidence was highest at the highest latitudes in
both hemispheres, said Garland. Even after controlling for known variables such
as cloud cover, meat intake, weight, skin pigmentation and others, the
association remained strong.
In the paper, the authors caution that this was a study of aggregates, or
countries, rather than individuals; findings that apply to aggregates may not
apply to individuals. They recommend further research to study individuals for
the effect of vitamin D from sunlight, diet and supplements on the risk of
endometrial cancer.
Posted by: Janet Source
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