Vitamin D can protect women who have previously had skin cancer from developing melanoma
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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As a recent study showed, taking vitamin D can protect women who have had skin cancer from a much more dangerous form of the disease - melanoma. However, the data requires confirmation, the authors of the study write, since the number of participants who developed melanoma was very small to begin with.
"We are not talking about taking ultra-high doses," says study leader Dr. Jean Tang of the Stanford University School of Medicine, "but after suffering skin cancer, the risk of melanoma increases, and taking small doses of calcium and vitamin D will be a reasonable step anyway and not will bring harm. "
According to some reports, vitamin D can protect against skin cancer and other cancers due to the effect on cell growth and, presumably, by stopping the conversion of healthy cells into tumor cells. This explains the protective properties of vitamin D, and wanted to check the authors of this study.
To do this, they turned to the data collected earlier for 36,000 female participants in the Women's Health Program at the age of 50 to 79 years. Half of the subjects took daily 1000 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D3, the second half received a placebo. Later, using questionnaires and data from medical records, scientists established how many women developed skin cancer within 7 years.
According to the results of the study, there was no difference in the incidence of skin cancer or melanoma in women in both groups.
Skin cancer (not melanoma) developed in 1,700 women from both groups. Actually, melanoma was diagnosed in 82 women from the group taking calcium and vitamin D, and 94 women from the placebo group.
"Despite the limited nature of this work, I see no reason for women not to increase the intake of vitamin D," says Dr. Michael Holick from Boston University who was not involved in the study. "His role in reducing the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer is quite convincing , in addition, he may be able to protect against type 2 diabetes and infectious diseases, finally calcium and vitamin D prevent osteoporosis. "
With regard to the relationship of vitamin D and skin cancer - there simply is not enough reliable data, and in addition to the "Women's Health" program, participants received fairly low doses of vitamin. According to Dr. Tang, they are currently recruiting women for a new study with colleagues, where the link between skin cancer and vitamin D will be tested by taking higher doses of the latter.