Both high and low levels of blood vitamin D are associated with a higher prostate cancer risk: A longitudinal, nested case-control study in the Nordic countries
✍ Scribed by Pentti Tuohimaa; Leena Tenkanen; Merja Ahonen; Sonja Lumme; Egil Jellum; Göran Hallmans; Pär Stattin; Sverre Harvei; Timo Hakulinen; Tapio Luostarinen; Joakim Dillner; Matti Lehtinen; Matti Hakama
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2003
- Tongue
- French
- Weight
- 81 KB
- Volume
- 108
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0020-7136
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Vitamin D inhibits the development and growth of prostate cancer cells. Epidemiologic results on serum vitamin D levels and prostate cancer risk have, however, been inconsistent. We conducted a longitudinal nested case‐control study on Nordic men (Norway, Finland and Sweden) using serum banks of 200,000 samples. We studied serum 25(OH)‐vitamin D levels of 622 prostate cancer cases and 1,451 matched controls and found that both low (≤19 nmol/l) and high (≥80 nmol/l) 25(OH)‐vitamin D serum concentrations are associated with higher prostate cancer risk. The normal average serum concentration of 25(OH)‐vitamin D (40–60 nmol/l) comprises the lowest risk of prostate cancer. The U‐shaped risk of prostate cancer might be due to similar 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D~3~ availability within the prostate: low vitamin D serum concentration apparently leads to a low tissue concentration and to weakened mitotic control of target cells, whereas a high vitamin D level might lead to vitamin D resistance through increased inactivation by enhanced expression of 24‐hydroxylase. It is recommended that vitamin D deficiency be supplemented, but too high vitamin D serum level might also enhance cancer development. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.