In a recent study published in Nutrients , researchers review how vitamin D deficiency affects the risk of cancer-related mortality. Study: Umbrella Review on the Relationship between Vitamin D Levels and Cancer . Image Credit: Tatyana Soares / Shutterstock.
com Vitamin D and cancer Between 2007 and 2017, a 25% increase in global cancer mortality was reported. By 2019, cancer caused over 30% of deaths in western Europe, thus making it the second leading cause of death. Rising cancer rates have been primarily attributed to the aging population.
Age-related vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased cancer incidence and mortality. Previous studies have shown that higher 25 hydroxyvitamin (OH)D levels following ultraviolet radiation (UV-B) exposure may offer protective effects against cancer. Nevertheless, further research is needed to clarify the causal relationship between vitamin D levels and cancer outcomes, as well as address the methodological limitations of existing studies.
About the study Following a registered protocol International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), the current study adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist with modifications for its umbrella design. The researchers utilized an approach based on a prior umbrella review using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study design (PICOS) framework to structure the search strategy, focusing on populations at r.