Research paper
The effect of vitamin D supplementation on survival in patients with colorectal cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Study answer
What this study found
Vitamin D3 supplementation is associated with a clinically meaningful improvement in colorectal cancer survival: overall adverse outcomes reduced by about 30% (HR 0.70; 95% CI 0.48–0.93). Among trials enrolling CRC patients at diagnosis, progression-free survival improved (HR 0.65; 95% CI 0.36–0.94). Population trials showed a possible improvement in CRC-specific survival (HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.39–1.13). No heterogeneity or publication bias detected. Authors conclude that supplementation may meaningfully improve CRC survival and call for well-designed, adequately powered RCTs to define optimal…
- Study & population
- Randomized controlled trials in adults.
- Intervention
- AMATERASU: vitamin D3, 2000 IU/day, oral, for 3.5 years with standard chemotherapy.
- Key limitation
- Small number of trials and participants; regimens and outcomes were heterogeneous; Golubic trial excluded from meta-analysis due to high risk of bias; incomplete reporting of HRs for some trials; limited data on cancer stage, adjuvant therapy, and genetic factors; generalizability may be limited to trial conditions…
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
Low circulating vitamin D levels are associated with poor colorectal cancer (CRC) survival. We assess whether vitamin D supplementation improves CRC survival outcomes. PubMed and Web of Science were searched. Randomised controlled trial (RCTs) of vit…