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Public release date: 3-Oct-2011[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Beth Bukata
bethb@astro.org
703-839-7332
American Society for Radiation Oncology
Predicts advanced disease
Miami Beach, Fla., October 2, 2011 More than three-quarters of cancer patients have insufficient levels of vitamin D (25-hydroxy-vitamin D) and the lowest levels are associated with more advanced cancer, according to a study presented on October 2, 2011, at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).
"Until recently, studies have not investigated whether vitamin D has an impact on the prognosis or course of cancer. Researchers are just starting to examine how vitamin D may impact specific features of cancer, such as the stage or extent of tumor spread, prognosis, recurrence or relapse of disease, and even sub-types of cancer," Thomas Churilla, lead author of the study and a medical student at the Commonwealth Medical College, Scranton, Pa., said.
Researchers sought to determine the vitamin D levels of patients at Northeast Radiation Oncology Center in Dunmore, Pa., a community oncology practice, and to see if vitamin D levels were related to any specific aspects of cancer. The study involved 160 patients with a median age of 64 years and a 1:1 ratio of men to women. The five most common primary diagnoses were breast, prostate, lung, thyroid and colorectal cancer. A total of 77 percent of patients had vitamin D concentrations either deficient (less than 20 ng/mL) or sub-optimal (20-30 ng/mL). The median serum vitamin D level was 23.5 ng/mL. Regardless of the age or sex of the patient, levels of vitamin D were below the median predicted for advanced stage disease in the patient group.
Patients who were found to be vitamin D deficient were administered replacement therapy, increasing serum D levels by an average of 14.9 ng/mL. Investigators will be analyzing if vitamin D supplementation had an impact on aspects of treatment or survival in the long-term.
"The benefits of vitamin D outside of improving bone health are controversial, yet there are various levels of evidence to support that vitamin D has a role in either the prevention or the prediction of outcome of cancer," Churilla said. "Further study is needed to continue to understand the relationship between vitamin D and cancer."
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For more information on the ASTRO Annual Meeting, visit www.astro.org/annualmeeting. For more information on radiation therapy for cancer, visit www.rtanswers.org.
The abstract, "Vitamin D Deficiency is Widespread in Cancer Patients and Correlates with Advanced Stage Disease: a Community Oncology Experience," will be available during the poster sessions starting at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 2, 2011. To speak to the lead author of the study, Thomas Churilla, please call Beth Bukata or Nicole Napoli, October 2 - 4, 2011, in the ASTRO Press Room at the Miami Beach Convention Center at 786-276-4506 or 786-276-4507. You may also email them at bethb@astro.org or nicolen@astro.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Public release date: 3-Oct-2011[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Beth Bukata
bethb@astro.org
703-839-7332
American Society for Radiation Oncology
Predicts advanced disease
Miami Beach, Fla., October 2, 2011 More than three-quarters of cancer patients have insufficient levels of vitamin D (25-hydroxy-vitamin D) and the lowest levels are associated with more advanced cancer, according to a study presented on October 2, 2011, at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).
"Until recently, studies have not investigated whether vitamin D has an impact on the prognosis or course of cancer. Researchers are just starting to examine how vitamin D may impact specific features of cancer, such as the stage or extent of tumor spread, prognosis, recurrence or relapse of disease, and even sub-types of cancer," Thomas Churilla, lead author of the study and a medical student at the Commonwealth Medical College, Scranton, Pa., said.
Researchers sought to determine the vitamin D levels of patients at Northeast Radiation Oncology Center in Dunmore, Pa., a community oncology practice, and to see if vitamin D levels were related to any specific aspects of cancer. The study involved 160 patients with a median age of 64 years and a 1:1 ratio of men to women. The five most common primary diagnoses were breast, prostate, lung, thyroid and colorectal cancer. A total of 77 percent of patients had vitamin D concentrations either deficient (less than 20 ng/mL) or sub-optimal (20-30 ng/mL). The median serum vitamin D level was 23.5 ng/mL. Regardless of the age or sex of the patient, levels of vitamin D were below the median predicted for advanced stage disease in the patient group.
Patients who were found to be vitamin D deficient were administered replacement therapy, increasing serum D levels by an average of 14.9 ng/mL. Investigators will be analyzing if vitamin D supplementation had an impact on aspects of treatment or survival in the long-term.
"The benefits of vitamin D outside of improving bone health are controversial, yet there are various levels of evidence to support that vitamin D has a role in either the prevention or the prediction of outcome of cancer," Churilla said. "Further study is needed to continue to understand the relationship between vitamin D and cancer."
###
For more information on the ASTRO Annual Meeting, visit www.astro.org/annualmeeting. For more information on radiation therapy for cancer, visit www.rtanswers.org.
The abstract, "Vitamin D Deficiency is Widespread in Cancer Patients and Correlates with Advanced Stage Disease: a Community Oncology Experience," will be available during the poster sessions starting at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 2, 2011. To speak to the lead author of the study, Thomas Churilla, please call Beth Bukata or Nicole Napoli, October 2 - 4, 2011, in the ASTRO Press Room at the Miami Beach Convention Center at 786-276-4506 or 786-276-4507. You may also email them at bethb@astro.org or nicolen@astro.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ] ?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-10/asfr-vdd100311.php
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