Cancer Treatment: Role of Vitamin D

Recent research by the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute at The University of Manchester indicates that vitamin D balances the gut microbiome, thereby improving the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy treatments in a mouse model.

In the study, mice were administered either a standard diet or a diet rich in vitamin D. It was observed that the mice that received a high vitamin D diet had better immune resistance to cancer and an improved response to immunotherapy treatment.

Vitamin D acted on the epithelial cells in the intestine, resulting in a higher abundance of gut bacteria Bacteroides fragilis (B. fragilis). The growth of the bacteria increased the mice's immune response to cancer, suppressing tumor growth.

Mice on the standard diet were supplemented with B. fragilis to test whether the bacteria alone triggers cancer-resistance effects. These mice showed an improved ability to resist tumor growth; however, the same effects were not seen when the mice were placed on a vitamin D-deficient diet.

To investigate the effects of B. fragilis and vitamin D in humans, the researchers analyzed data from 1.5 million people in Denmark. They found that decreased levels of vitamin D are associated with a higher risk of cancer. A second analysis looked at a cancer patient population and found those with higher vitamin D levels were more likely to have a positive response to immune-based cancer treatments.

“However, this early-stage research on mice, coupled with an analysis of Danish population data, seeks to address the evidence gap. While the findings suggest a possible link between vitamin D and immune response to cancer, further research is needed to confirm this.” Said Dr. Nisharnthi Duggan, Research Information Manager at Cancer Research UK.

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