A systematic literature review of vitamin D and ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the evidence supporting a reduction in risk for ovarian cancer occurrence or mortality with greater vitamin D exposures.


METHODS
This review followed standard guidelines for systematic literature reviews. The diverse study designs precluded a quantitative metaanalysis. Therefore studies are summarized via tables and abstracted information.


RESULTS
Approximately half of the ecologic and case-control studies reported reductions in incidence or mortality with increasing geographic latitude, solar radiation levels, or dietary/supplement consumption of vitamin D, whereas the other half reported null associations. The cohort studies reported no overall risk reduction with increasing dietary/supplement consumption of vitamin D or with plasma levels of vitamin D prior to diagnosis, although vitamin D intakes were relatively low in all studies.


CONCLUSIONS
There is no consistent or strong evidence to support the claim made in numerous review articles that vitamin D exposures reduce the risk for ovarian cancer occurrence or mortality.
Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Linda S
LS
Cook
Heather K
HK
Neilson
Diane L
DL
Lorenzetti
Robert C
RC
Lee
D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D014807:Vitamin D