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Chemotherapy is linked to severe vitamin D deficiency in patients with colorectal cancer

International Journal of Colorectal Disease volume 24, pages 219–224 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Preclinical and clinical evidence support an association between vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Normal vitamin D status has been linked to favorable health outcomes ranging from decreased risk of osteoporosis to improved cancer mortality. We performed a retrospective study to assess the impact of metastatic disease and chemotherapy treatment on vitamin D status in patients with colorectal cancer residing in Western New York.

Materials and methods

Patients, 315, with colorectal cancer treated in a single institute were assayed for 25-OH vitamin D. The association of age, gender, primary disease site and stage, body mass index, and chemotherapy with vitamin D status was investigated.

Results

Vitamin D deficiency was common among participants with a median 25-OH vitamin D level of 21.3 ng/ml (optimal range 32–100 ng/ml). Primary site of disease and chemotherapy status were associated with very low 25-OH vitamin D levels (≤15 ng/ml) on multivariate analysis. Patients receiving chemotherapy and patients with a rectal primary were 3.7 and 2.6-fold more likely to have severe vitamin D deficiency on multivariate analysis than nonchemotherapy patients and colon cancer primary patients, respectively.

Conclusions

Chemotherapy is associated with a significant increase in the risk of severe vitamin D deficiency. Patients with colorectal cancer, especially those receiving chemotherapy, should be considered for aggressive vitamin D replacement strategies.

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Notes

  1. http://www.labcorp.com/datasets/labcorp/html/chapter/mono/sr004600.htm, last accessed on January 05, 2008

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Acknowledgment

This study was partly supported by a Mentored Scholar Award Grant by the American Cancer Society to MGF.

There are no financial conflicts to report.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA

    Marwan G. Fakih, Donald L. Trump & Josephia Muindi

  2. Department of Pharmacology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA

    Candace S. Johnson

  3. Department of Biostatistics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA

    Lili Tian

  4. Cancer Prevention and Population Science, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA

    Annette Y. Sunga

  5. Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA

    Marwan G. Fakih

Authors
  1. Marwan G. Fakih
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  2. Donald L. Trump
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  3. Candace S. Johnson
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  4. Lili Tian
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  5. Josephia Muindi
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  6. Annette Y. Sunga
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marwan G. Fakih.

Additional information

This manuscript was presented in part at GI ASCO 2007.

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Fakih, M.G., Trump, D.L., Johnson, C.S. et al. Chemotherapy is linked to severe vitamin D deficiency in patients with colorectal cancer. Int J Colorectal Dis 24, 219–224 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-008-0593-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-008-0593-y

Keywords

  • Colorectal cancer
  • Vitamin D
  • 25-hydroxy vitamin D
  • Chemotherapy