HEALTH NEWS

Study Title:

Colon Cancer, Vitamin D, and Calcium

Study Abstract

From Emory University press release:

In a clinical study of 92 patients, supplementing diet with calcium and vitamin D appeared to increase the levels of a protein called Bax that controls programmed cell death in the colon. More Bax might be pushing pre-cancerous cells into programmed cell death, says Emory researcher Veronika Fedirko, who will present her team's results (abstract 464).

Previous studies have shown that calcium and vitamin D tend to reduce colon cancer risk. "We were pleased that the effects of calcium and vitamin D were visible enough in this small study to be significant and reportable," Fedirko says. "We will have to fully evaluate each marker's strength as we accumulate more data."

Bostick and his colleagues are participating in a ten-year multi-center study of the effects of increased vitamin D and calcium and biomarker-guided treatment of colon cancer recurrence. The study involves almost 2,500 people nationwide who have regular colonoscopies.

Study Information

Authors: V. Fedirko, R.M. Bostick, W.D. Flanders, Q. Long, V. Cohen.
Effect of vitamin D and calcium supplementation on markers of apoptosis in normal colon mucosa: Results from a randomized clinical trial.
2008 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting
2008 April
Emory University.