High doses of vitamin D did not affect the growth rate of colon cancer in patients with metastatic disease, scientists from the Dana-Farber Institute reported at a conference ESMO.
A recent study found that higher blood levels of vitamin D were associated with a higher chance of survival from metastatic colorectal cancer. Taking higher doses of the vitamin was also associated with slower tumor growth.
In the new study, scientists divided 450 patients with the disease into two groups. All received standard chemotherapy and the drug bevacizumab. Half also received high doses of vitamin D and half received the standard dose. They were followed for 20 months.
High doses of vitamin D were not associated with any side effects, but tumor growth rate did not differ between high and standard doses.
But the scientists did identify a potential benefit of high-dose vitamin D for patients whose primary tumors are in the descending colon, sigmoid colon or rectum. They called for more studies of high-dose vitamin D in patients with these types of cancer.
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Source: Gazeta
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