Getting enough vitamin D may be a matter of life or death. An important new study suggests it plays a significant role in surviving lung cancer.
Doctors have long searched for therapies that could improve the survival rate among lung cancer patients, and new research out of Harvard Medical School may point them to the answer. According to a study of nearly 500 lung cancer patients, daily vitamin D intake can improve survival rates dramatically.
Among the subjects of the study, those with the lowest vitamin D intake showed only a 29 percent survival rate over eight years. However, those lung cancer patients with the highest vitamin D intake experienced a 72 percent survival rate over the same time period.
People can get the nutrient from certain foods such as: fish, fortified milk, egg yolk, beef, cod liver oil, etc., vitamin supplements and being out in the sunshine. Researchers found that the lung cancer patients with high intake who had lung cancer treatment during the summer were more than twice as likely to be alive five years later than those with low levels who had operations in the winter.
The study has many features that could explain its possible benefit against cancer, such as stifling cell growth. Doctors had seen evidence suggesting it prevents some cancers, and wanted to know if it also affected survival. Patients were interviewed about diet, supplements and timing of their cancer surgery, which was thought to be another indicator of their vitamin D levels.
Anthony G. Alessi, MD
Charles Glassman, MD
Dale Peterson, MD
Mache Seibel, MD
Peter Weiss, MD
Mitchell Yass, DPT
Dr. Howard Peiper
Dr. Mary Riggin
