Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in early-diagnosed cancer patients: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D roles in human health and wellbeing have been extensively studied in the recent years. It has essential roles in homeostasis and maintaining many physiological functions. These roles are vital in immune system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and reproductive system. Deficiency in this vitamin has been correlated with many diseases in the body, and it has been correlated with developing cancer. Objective: This study aimed to investigate levels of total vitamin D (25-hydroxycholecalciferol) in cancer patients. Design: Retrospective. Settings: Taif city- king Faisal Hospital (KFH). Patients and methods: Serum levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol were classified into normal, insufficient, and deficiency group, patients were grouped according to these classes.156 patients were included in this study, 128 females and 28 males, 100 healthy participants were included. Cancer patients were as follows, gastrointestinal tract cancer patients were 27, breast cancer patients were 73, female genital tract patients were 43, head and neck cancer patients were 6 and respiratory tract patients were 7. Sample size: 256 participants were 100 healthy controls and 156 cancer patients. Results: Deficiency was detected in most of the patients from both genders, and in both pre- and post-menopausal female patients. Conclusion: These findings support the belief that deficiency in vitamin D is a risk factor leading to development of cancer.