title: The beneficial role of vitamin D and its analogs in cancer treatment and prevention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer is the leading cause of death in the United States, and the probability of developing cancer increases dramatically with age. Interestingly, vitamin D deficiency is also recognized more often in people of advanced ages. A potential relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cancer has been reported in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review Medline database literature and discuss the relationship between vitamin D status and cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Environmental (including seasonal and geographic) and genetic factors contribute to the development of both vitamin D deficiency and cancer. The vitamin D receptor is present in many tissues, especially in malignant cells, and may contribute to the successful use of vitamin D and its analogs in the treatment of some cancer patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further investigation of the role of vitamin D in the treatment of cancer is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Vietnamese American Medical Research Foundation, Westminster, CA, USA. Lng2687765@aol.com
authors.forename: Khanh vinh quoc
authors.initials: Kv
authors.lastname: Luong
authors.forename: Lan Thi Hoang
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Nguyen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D