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Meta-Analysis
. 2014 Aug 26;111(5):976-80.
doi: 10.1038/bjc.2014.294. Epub 2014 Jun 10.

Vitamin D supplements and cancer incidence and mortality: a meta-analysis

N Keum  1 , E Giovannucci  2
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Vitamin D supplements and cancer incidence and mortality: a meta-analysis

N Keum et al. Br J Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: Observational studies suggest that effects of vitamin D may be stronger for cancer mortality than for incidence. Yet, existing randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of vitamin D supplementation have limited power to examine the relationships as their primary end points are not cancer incidence or mortality.

Methods: Meta-analyses of RCTs of vitamin D supplementation and total cancer incidence and mortality were conducted.

Results: Over 2-7 years of duration, vitamin D supplementations had little effect on total cancer incidence (400-1100 IU per day, summary relative risk (RR)=1.00, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.94-1.06, I(2)=0%; four RCTs with combined 4333 cases), but significantly reduced total cancer mortality (400-833 IU per day, summary RR=0.88, 95% CI=0.78-0.98, I(2)=0%, three RCTs with combined 1190 deaths).

Conclusions: Over 2-7 years of duration, the benefit of vitamin D supplementation may be limited to cancer mortality.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of study selection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Meta-analyses of RCTs of vitamin D supplementation and total cancer incidence and mortality. (A) Total cancer incidence, (B) total cancer mortality. Abbreviations: CI=confidence interval; RR=relative risk.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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