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The association of vitamin D supplementation with the risk of cancer in postmenopausal women

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Abstract

Purpose

There is inconclusive evidence on whether vitamin D therapy reduces cancer risk. We investigated the effect of vitamin D (±calcium) supplementation on the risk of breast, ovarian, uterine, colorectal, and lung cancer in women.

Methods

We conducted a case–control study using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD); cases were women aged ≥55 years with a first diagnosis of either breast, colorectal, lung, ovarian, or uterine cancer between 2002 and 2009, with at least 5 years of CPRD follow-up prior to the date of diagnosis, and controls were women without cancer, frequency-matched to cases by year of birth, date of study entry, length of follow-up, and general practice. The association of vitamin D supplementation with the odds of developing each cancer was determined using multivariable logistic regression, controlling for body mass index, smoking, alcohol, and deprivation.

Results

Ninety-seven percent of women took vitamin D with a calcium supplement. Exposure to three or more prescriptions of vitamin D was associated with a 17 % reduced odds (95 % CI 0.71–0.97) of breast cancer versus 1–2 prescriptions, but this effect disappeared when omitting women first exposed within a year of diagnosis (OR 1.0, 95 % CI 0.82–1.23). Having more than 10 prescriptions of vitamin D was associated with a 17 % lower odds (95 % CI 0.65–1.06) of colorectal cancer, but the estimates are imprecise. There was little evidence of associations of supplements with lung or gynecological cancers.

Conclusion

We found little evidence that vitamin D (largely with calcium) supplementation is associated with decreased breast, lung, ovarian, and uterine cancer risk. There is a possible protective association between having more than 10 prescriptions of vitamin D supplements and colorectal cancer, but it requires further investigation.

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Acknowledgments

This study is based on data from the Full Feature Clinical Practice Research Datalink obtained under license from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). However, the interpretation and conclusions contained in this study are those of the authors alone. Access to the Clinical Practice Research Datalink was granted through the Medical Research Council (MRC) license agreement with the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. The study was funded by a Gunton Award from the British Medical Association (BMA). The NIHR Bristol Nutrition Biomedical Research Unit is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and is a partnership between the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol.

Conflict of interest

RMM is a member of the Independent Scientific Advisory Committee of the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for which he receives a small amount of expenses for travel and meeting preparation. There are no financial disclosures from any other authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK

    Maria Theresa Redaniel, Michael P. Gardner, Richard M. Martin & Mona Jeffreys

  2. University of Bristol/University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, National Institute for Health Research Bristol, Nutrition Biomedical Research Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

    Richard M. Martin

Authors
  1. Maria Theresa Redaniel
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  2. Michael P. Gardner
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  3. Richard M. Martin
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  4. Mona Jeffreys
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Theresa Redaniel.

Additional information

This study was approved by the Independent Scientific Advisory Committee of the MHRA.

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Redaniel, M.T., Gardner, M.P., Martin, R.M. et al. The association of vitamin D supplementation with the risk of cancer in postmenopausal women. Cancer Causes Control 25, 267–271 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-013-0328-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-013-0328-4

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