New research suggests that maintaining appropriate levels of vitamin D might enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy drugs, specifically immune checkpoint inhibitors, for patients with advanced skin cancer.
The study is now available online in the CANCER journal, a reputable journal of the American Cancer Society.
The Role of Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays multifaceted roles in our body, including the regulation of the immune system. The study aimed to investigate if the levels of vitamin D could influence the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Study Details
Researchers analyzed blood samples from 200 advanced melanoma patients. These samples were collected before the initiation of immunotherapy and then every 12 weeks during the treatment.
Patients with normal baseline vitamin D levels (or those who achieved normal levels with supplementation) demonstrated a 56.0% favorable response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
In contrast, those with consistently low vitamin D levels without supplementation had a response rate of just 36.2%.
Furthermore, progression-free survival, which is the duration from the commencement of treatment to the progression of cancer, was notably longer for those with normal vitamin D levels (11.25 months) compared to those with low levels (5.75 months).
Expert Opinion
Dr. Łukasz Galus, the lead author of the study from Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poland, commented on the findings.
He stressed that while vitamin D is not an anti-cancer drug per se, its normal serum level is essential for the optimal operation of the immune system.
This includes the immune response that is affected by anti-cancer drugs like immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Dr. Galus suggests that if their findings are confirmed through randomized trials, assessing vitamin D levels and its potential supplementation might be included in melanoma management strategies.
If you care about skin health, please read studies about eating fish linked to a higher risk of skin cancer, and Vitamin B3 could help prevent skin cancers.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about vegetable oil linked to the spread of cancer, and results showing Vitamin D could help treat skin inflammation.
The study was published in Cancer.
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