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27. 10. 2015 Cancer in the older population of the Czech Republic
Population ageing has become a challenge to cancer care in developed countries. Particularities of the older population must be taken into account when considering cancer treatment. However, there is a lack of consensus on guidelines for this population due to the underrepresentation of older patients in clinical trials.
15. 1. 2014 Personalised invitations of Czech citizens to cancer screening programmes
In January 2014, a project of personalised invitations for cancer screening programmes was launched in the Czech Republic. In particular, citizens are invited to participate in colorectal cancer screening (men and women), as well as breast cancer screening and cervical cancer screening (women). Personalised invitations are aimed at citizens who have not participated in cancer screening programmes in the long term, and therefore are at a higher risk of developing cancer. The project is expected to increase participation rates in Czech cancer screening programmes.
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Large study shows no evidence that vitamin D can reduce lung cancer risk
A new study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), published online in the Annals of Oncology [1], found that there was no association between circulating vitamin D levels and lung cancer risk. The report presents a robust analysis of more than 5300 case-control pairs nested within 20 international prospective cohort studies. This is the largest observational study to date on the relationship between vitamin D and cancer.
Vitamin D and lung cancer
Vitamin D is produced primarily in the skin after exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. A secondary source of vitamin D is via diet or dietary supplementation.
Whether vitamin D plays a role in protecting against lung cancer has been a topic of debate, with a number of earlier, smaller studies suggesting that high vitamin D concentrations could protect against lung cancer.
This large new study aimed to provide a precise, definitive answer as to whether circulating vitamin D may affect lung cancer risk. Instead of relying only on self-reported smoking information (as previous, smaller studies have done), this study included an analysis of cotinine (a nicotine metabolite found in blood), which provided an objective measurement of recent tobacco exposure. The data also include robust estimates concerning vitamin D and lung cancer among former and never-smokers.
“The results are based on the most comprehensive data available and clearly show no association between high vitamin D concentrations and lung cancer risk”, says Dr Paul Brennan, the principal investigator of the study, “Our results are important because many prevention strategies are still focused on vitamin D supplementation as a protective measure against a number of diseases, including cancer.”
Lung cancer burden worldwide
Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the world, accounting for nearly 1.7 million deaths every year and 20% of all cancer deaths overall. Lung cancer survival rates are dismal, with the majority of lung cancer patients dying within 5 years of diagnosis, regardless of disease stage.
The main cause of lung cancer is tobacco exposure. The primary and most important lung cancer control measure is smoking cessation, but the lifetime risk of lung cancer among former smokers remains high, and never-smokers are also at risk.
“Given the high incidence of lung cancer worldwide, it is vital to prioritize efforts to reduce tobacco smoking and to identify additional preventive measures that may help to reduce the risk of the disease”, says Dr Christopher Wild, Director of IARC, “However, despite previous smaller studies suggesting that high vitamin D concentrations could protect against lung cancer, these new results do not support the idea of vitamin D supplementation for the primary prevention of lung cancer.”
Reference
- Muller DC, Hodge AM, Fanidi A, Albanes D, Mai XM, Shu XO, et al. No association between circulating concentrations of vitamin D and risk of lung cancer: An analysis in 20 prospective studies in the Lung Cancer Cohort Consortium (LC3). Annals of Oncology 2018. doi: 10.1093/annonc/mdy104
Keywords: IARC Press Release
27. 4. 2018 vitamin D, lung cancer risk, observational study
