A prospective study of plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and prostate cancer risk

Abstract

Mechanistic hypotheses suggest that vitamin D and the closely related parathyroid hormone (PTH) may be involved in prostate carcinogenesis. However, epidemiological evidence is lacking for PTH and inconsistent for vitamin D. Our objectives were to prospectively investigate the association between vitamin D status, vitamin D-related gene polymorphisms, PTH and prostate cancer risk. A total of 129 cases diagnosed within the Supplémentation en Vitamines et Minéraux Antioxydants cohort were included in a nested case-control study and matched to 167 controls (13 years of follow-up). 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and PTH concentrations were assessed from baseline plasma samples. Conditional logistic regression models were computed. Higher 25(OH)D concentration was associated with decreased risk of prostate cancer (OR Q4 v. Q1 0·30; 95 % CI 0·12, 0·77; P trend = 0·007). PTH concentration was not associated with prostate cancer risk (P trend = 0·4) neither did the studied vitamin D-related gene polymorphisms. In this prospective study, prostate cancer risk was inversely associated with 25(OH)D concentration but not with PTH concentration. These results bring a new contribution to the understanding of the relationship between vitamin D and prostate cancer, which deserves further investigation.

Reduced vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression and plasma vitamin D levels are associated with aging‐related prostate lesions

“…While some epidemiological studies associated low circulating levels of 25(OH)D with an increased risk to develop prostate cancer, others did not support this association (see the meta‐analyses by Yin et al and Xu et al). Hendrickson et al examined VDR expression in 841 patients with prostate cancer and found a significant association between high VDR expression in prostate tumors and a reduced risk of advanced cancer or even lethal tumors, irrespective of plasma 25(OH)D levels.…”

“…Although vitamin D is recognized by its classic role in bone health, a growing body of evidence has linked its deficiency, a re‐emerging global health problem, with increased risk for several diseases including prostate cancer . Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed neoplasms and the fifth leading cause of cancer death worldwide …”

“…Despite these encouraging results, epidemiological data have kept an ongoing debate concerning vitamin D and prostate cancer. Indeed, while studies have associated the low circulating levels of vitamin D with increased prostate cancer risk or progression, other investigations did not support this association . One possible explanation for these conflicting data may be differences in prostatic levels of the vitamin D receptor (VDR), which varies in normal and tumor tissues .…”

“…Although vitamin D is recognized by its classic role in bone health, a growing body of evidence has linked its deficiency, a re-emerging global health problem, with increased risk for several diseases 1,2 including prostate cancer. [3][4][5] Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed neoplasms and the fifth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. 6 Experimental studies involving primary cultures, 7,8 cell lines, 8,9 xenograft systems, 10 and transgenic models of prostate cancer 11,12 showed that vitamin D in its biologically active form, the 1,25dihydroxyvitamin D, plays a growth-inhibitory effect on the prostate.…”

Longitudinal, observational study on associations between postoperative nutritional vitamin D supplementation and clinical outcomes in esophageal cancer patients undergoing esophagectomy

“…In addition to the influence of vitamin D on cancer risk262728, numerous reports29303132 showed that vitamin D sufficiency could improve survival in lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and follicular lymphoma. However, the studies concerning associations between vitamin D supplementation and DFS or OS were limited and contradictory.…”