TY - JOUR
T1 - Vitamin D levels and cancer incidence in 217,244 individuals from primary health care in Denmark
AU - Vojdeman, Fie Juhl
AU - Madsen, Christian Medom
AU - Frederiksen, Kirsten
AU - Durup, Darshana
AU - Olsen, Anja
AU - Hansen, Louise
AU - Heegaard, Anne Marie
AU - Lind, Bent
AU - Tjønneland, Anne
AU - Jørgensen, Henrik Løvendahl
AU - Schwarz, Peter
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Vitamin D has been linked to cancer development in both pre-clinical and epidemiological studies. Our study examines the association between serum levels of vitamin D and cancer incidence in the Capital Region of Denmark. Individuals who had vitamin D analyzed at The Copenhagen General Practitioners Laboratory between April 2004 and January 2010 were linked to Danish registries with end of follow-up date at Dec 31st 2014, excluding individuals with pre-existing cancer. Cox regression models adjusted for age in one-year intervals, sex, month of sampling, and Charlson Comorbidity Index were applied. The study population of 217,244 individuals had a median vitamin D level of 46 nmol/L (IQR 27–67 nmol/L). Non-melanoma skin cancer was the most frequent form of cancer, followed by breast-, lung-, and prostate cancers. No associations were found between increments of 10 nmol/L vitamin D and incidence of breast, colorectal, urinary, ovary or corpus uteri cancer. However, higher levels of vitamin D were associated with higher incidence of non-melanoma (HR 1.09 [1.09–1.1]) and melanoma skin cancer (HR 1.1 [1.08–1.13]) as well as prostate (HR 1.05 [1.03–1.07]) and hematological cancers (HR 1.03 [1.01–1.06]), but with lower incidence of lung cancer (HR 0.95 [0.93–0.97]). In our study, vitamin D levels are not associated with the incidence of several major cancer types, but higher levels are significantly associated with a higher incidence of skin, prostate, and hematological cancers as well as a lower incidence of lung cancer. These results do not support an overall protective effect against cancer by vitamin D.
AB - Vitamin D has been linked to cancer development in both pre-clinical and epidemiological studies. Our study examines the association between serum levels of vitamin D and cancer incidence in the Capital Region of Denmark. Individuals who had vitamin D analyzed at The Copenhagen General Practitioners Laboratory between April 2004 and January 2010 were linked to Danish registries with end of follow-up date at Dec 31st 2014, excluding individuals with pre-existing cancer. Cox regression models adjusted for age in one-year intervals, sex, month of sampling, and Charlson Comorbidity Index were applied. The study population of 217,244 individuals had a median vitamin D level of 46 nmol/L (IQR 27–67 nmol/L). Non-melanoma skin cancer was the most frequent form of cancer, followed by breast-, lung-, and prostate cancers. No associations were found between increments of 10 nmol/L vitamin D and incidence of breast, colorectal, urinary, ovary or corpus uteri cancer. However, higher levels of vitamin D were associated with higher incidence of non-melanoma (HR 1.09 [1.09–1.1]) and melanoma skin cancer (HR 1.1 [1.08–1.13]) as well as prostate (HR 1.05 [1.03–1.07]) and hematological cancers (HR 1.03 [1.01–1.06]), but with lower incidence of lung cancer (HR 0.95 [0.93–0.97]). In our study, vitamin D levels are not associated with the incidence of several major cancer types, but higher levels are significantly associated with a higher incidence of skin, prostate, and hematological cancers as well as a lower incidence of lung cancer. These results do not support an overall protective effect against cancer by vitamin D.
KW - cancer incidence
KW - primary health care
KW - vitamin D levels
U2 - 10.1002/ijc.32105
DO - 10.1002/ijc.32105
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 30613979
AN - SCOPUS:85060326103
SN - 0020-7136
VL - 145
SP - 338
EP - 346
JO - International Journal of Cancer
JF - International Journal of Cancer
IS - 2
ER -
