Associations of vitamin D status with colorectal cancer risk and survival

Int J Cancer. 2021 Aug 1;149(3):606-614. doi: 10.1002/ijc.33580. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Abstract

Biological evidence suggests that vitamin D has numerous anticancer functions, but the associations between vitamin D status and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk and survival remain inconclusive. Based on UK Biobank, we prospectively evaluated the associations of season-standardized 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations with CRC risk among 360 061 participants, and with survival among 2509 CRC cases. We observed an inverse linear relationship between 25(OH)D concentrations and CRC risk (P for linearity = .01; HR per 1-SD increment, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99). Compared to the lowest quartile of 25(OH)D, the highest quartile was associated with a 13% (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.77-0.98) lower risk of CRC. For CRC survival, compared to those in the lowest quartile of 25(OH)D, cases in the highest quartile had a 20% (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.65-0.99) lower risk for overall death. Our findings indicate that higher concentrations of serum 25(OH)D are associated with lower incidence and improved survival of CRC, suggesting a role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of CRC.

Keywords: 25-hydroxyvitamin D; colorectal cancer; induction of remission; preventionprognosis; vitamin D.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Case-Control Studies
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / blood
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Survival Rate
  • United Kingdom / epidemiology
  • Vitamin D / blood*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / physiopathology*
  • Vitamins / blood*

Substances

  • Vitamins
  • Vitamin D