Vitamin D Linked to Survival in Lymphoma Patients

Study suggests it may slow the rate of progression

New research our of the Mayo Clinic show that the levels of vitamin D in patients with a type of lymphoma appear to be connected to cancer progression and the likelihood of survival in a positive way.  This marks yet another recent study touting the benefits of--and the suggestion of needed supplementation--of Vitamin D in humans.

Researchers note that this is one of the strongest findings yet between vitamin D and cancer outcome, however, while quite exciting, they are preliminary and need to be validated in other studies. 

Par for the course with reseachers: they never commit to defintiveness.

However, the findings raise the issue of whether vitamin D supplementation might aid in treatment for this malignancy, and thus should stimulate much more research.

The study authors looked at 374 patients who had been newly diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Tests suggested that half of the patients didn't have enough vitamin D in their systems, and those patients had a 1.5-fold greater risk of disease progression. After the researchers adjusted their figures to account for the influence of other factors, the risk of death among patients with vitamin D deficiency during the study period was doubled compared to patients with ideal levels of vitamin D.

While researchers point out that the exact roles that vitamin D might play in the initiation or progression of cancer are unknown, they are fairly certain that the vitamin plays a role in regulation of cell growth and death, among other processes important in limiting cancer.

So how do you benefit from this information?

Since vitamin D deficiency can result in a whole host of different medical issues, the next time you get a physical or bloodwork, ask your doctor to check your levels.   You doctor can make an appropriate recommendation.

However, it is fairly easy to maintain vitamin D levels through inexpensive daily supplements or 15 minutes in the sun three times a week in the summer, so that levels can be stored inside body fat.

For an inexpensive and very effective vitamin D supplement, check out the offering from Lifesource here.