An hypothesis has been forwarded linking prostate cancer to low serum levels of vitamin D metabolites. We sought to test this hypothesis using sera obtained in a large, prospective cohort study. A serum bank in Washington County, Maryland (United States) has stored sera obtained from 20,305 county residents during a blood collection campaign undertaken in August through November 1974. We studied sera obtained from 61 residents who were diagnosed with prostate cancer during the period 1980 through 1992. Each prostate cancer case was matched to two controls on age (±1 yr) and race. Controls had donated blood in the same blood-collection campaign and had not been diagnosed with prostate cancer through 1992. Serum levels of vitamin D metabolites did not differ significantly between cases and controls. Mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-D) levels were 34.3 ng/ml and 33.2 ng/ml, and mean 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-D) levels were 41.0 pg/ml and 40.1 pg/ml, in cases and controls, respectively. No statistically significant trends or differences between cases and controls were found in an analysis by quintile of serum level. We also did not observe the association of vitamin D metabolites with prostate cancer to be strongest among older men with more severe disease, as previously has been reported. In summary, although our study's power was limited, our findings provide little support for the hypothesis that vitamin D metabolite levels are associated strongly with subsequent risk for prostate cancer.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boring CC, Squires TS, Tong T, Montgomery S. Cancer statistics, 1994. CA 1994; 44: 7–26.
Nomura AMY, Kolonel LN. Prostate cancer: a current perspective, Epidemiol Rev 1991; 13: 200–27.
Hanchette CL, Schwartz GG. Geographic patterns of prostate cancer mortality. Cancer 1992; 70: 2861–9.
Schwartz GG, Hulka BS. Is vitamin D deficiency a risk factor for prostate cancer? (Hypothesis). Anticancer Res 1990; 10: 1307–12.
Holick MF. Vitamin D and the skin. In: Heersche JNM, Kanis JA, eds. Bone and Mineral Research. Annual Series, Vol. 7. Amsterdam, Netherlands. Elsevier, 1990: 313–66.
Holick MF. The use and interpretation of assays for vitamin D and its metabolites. J Nutr 1990; 120: 1464–9.
McLaughlin J, Holick MF. Aging decreases the capacity of human skin to produce vitamin D3. J Clin Invest 1985; 76: 1536–8.
Comstock GW, Helzisouer KJ, Bush TL. Prediagnestic serum levels of carotenoids and vitamin E as related to subsequent cancer in Washington County, Maryland. Am J Clin Nutr 1991; 53 (1 Suppl): 260S-4S.
Hollis BW, Kamerud JQ, Selvaag SR, Lorenz JD, Napoli JL. Determination of vitamin D status by radioimmunoassay using an [I125]-labelled tracer. Clin Chem 1993, 39: 529–33.
Hollis BW. Assay of circulating 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D involving a novel single-cartridge extraction and purification procedure. Clin Chem 1986; 32: 2060–3.
Reinhard TA, Hollis BW. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D microassay employing radioreceptor techniques. In: McCormick DB, Chytil F, eds. Methods in Enzymology. NYC, NY (USA): Academic Press, 1986; Vol. 123: 176–85.
Corder EH, Guess HA, Hulka BS, et al. Vitamin D and prostate cancer: a prediagnostic study with stored sera. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 1993; 2: 467–72.
McKenna M. Differences in vitamin D status between countries in young adults and the elderly. Am J Med 1992; 93: 69–77.
Hanchette CL, Schwartz GG. Geographic patterns of prostate cancer mortality. Caner 1992; 70: 2861–9.
Parkin DM, Muir CS, Whelan SL, et al. Cancer Incidence in Five Continents, Vol VI. Lyon, France: International Agency of Research on Cancer, 1992; IARC Sci. Pub. No. 120.
Braun MM, Helzlsouer JK, Hollis BW, Comstock GW. Colon cancer and vitamin D metabolite levels 10 to 17 years prior to diagnosis. Am J Epidemiol, in press.
Additional information
Dr Braun is with the Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. Authors are also affiliated with the Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA (Drs Helzlsouer and Comstock), and the Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA (Dr Hollis). Address correspondence to Dr Braun, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, National Cancer Institute, EPN 443, Bethesda, MD 20892-7374, USA.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Braun, M.M., Helzlsouer, K.J., Hollis, B.W. et al. Prostate cancer and prediagnostic levels of serum vitamin D metabolites (Maryland, United States). Cancer Causes Control 6, 235–239 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00051795
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00051795