Dana-Farber researcher: High-dose vitamin D can delay colorectal cancer progression

Jan. 18--Advanced stage, incurable, metastatic colorectal cancer patients given high doses of vitamin D along with chemotherapy can stave off progression of the deadly disease and improve their overall survival rates, a Dana-Farber oncologist has found.

"There is a lot of interest from patients about diet and lifestyle and I think it's attractive to some patients that this won't cause any additional side effects, but can help their cancer," said Dr. Kimmie Ng, director of clinical research in Dana-Farber's Gastrointestinal Cancer Center and corresponding author of the SUNSHINE study.

The SUNSHINE study looked at 139 advanced-stage colorectal cancer patients; some took pills containing 4,000 units of vitamin D per day along with standard chemotherapy, while another group took 400 units along with chemotherapy.

The high-dose group saw a median delay of 13 months before their cancer worsened and the low-dose group saw an 11-month delay.

Patients in the high-dose group were also 36% less likely to have disease progression or death during the follow-up period of just under two years.

"As our scientific knowledge about colorectal cancer improves and as new treatments are being studied and FDA-approved every year, the prognosis is getting better and better," said Ng.

Now, the clinical trial has advanced to its third phase, in which centers across the country will be testing the treatment in 400 patients.

"This will be the definitive trial that proves whether vitamin D should be a standard addition to chemo in the future," Ng said.

Vitamin D is relatively cheap and easy to obtain, offering no additional side effects to patients, who have reached a stage where options are limited.

"One of the hardest parts of our jobs as oncologists is to break the news to patients that their cancer has already spread to other parts of the body and that standard treatments are typically not able to cure them," Ng said.

Colorectal cancer is expected to cause about 53,200 deaths this year in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.

Ng said the average survival rate of patients with the disease is about 30 months, whereas two decades ago it was just 12 months.

Many Americans are vitamin D deficient due to decreased time spent outside, high rates of obesity and increased sunscreen use. The vitamin has demonstrated anti-cancer properties such as inhibiting cancer cell growth and reducing the potential of metastasis.

Ng said there is a lot of work being done to find out why vitamin D is helping colorectal cancer patients, such as its effect on the immune system and role in the body's microbiome. There is a chance it could also help patients with other types of cancer.

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