title: Vitamin D and cancer mortality in elderly women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is increasing evidence that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for cancer, however it remains uncertain whether vitamin D deficiency also predisposes to death from cancer. The aim of the study was to determine the association between serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25 (OH) D) concentrations and cancer-specific mortality in a community-based cohort of older post-menopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cox proportional regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between serum 25 (OH) D concentrations and the risk of overall and site-specific cancer mortality in a cohort of elderly women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over a median follow-up time of 10 years, a total of 84 cancer deaths were observed. Women with lower serum 25 (OH) D concentrations were at an increased risk of cancer death, but not for incident cancer. The excess risk for cancer death was observed with serum 25 (OH) D concentration less than 64 nmol/L (the median value) [adjusted HR: 1.61 (95% CI: 1.02 - 2.54, p = 0.04]. For every 30 nmol/L reduction in serum 25 (OH) D concentrations, there was a 30% increase in the overall risk of cancer death [adjusted HR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.03 - 1.72, p = 0.02]. The excess risk appeared to be site-specific and greatest in those with haematological cancers [adjusted HR: 2.13: 95% CI: 1.0 - 4.55, p = 0.05].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In elderly women, lower serum 25 (OH) D concentrations appear to be an independent risk factor for cancer-specific mortality, but not a risk factor for the development of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Kidney Research, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia. germaine.wong@health.nsw.gov.au.|School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. germaine.wong@health.nsw.gov.au.|Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Hospital Westmead, Westmead, Australia. germaine.wong@health.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Germaine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Unit, Perth, Australia. Wai.lim@health.wa.gov.au.|Department of Renal Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Australia. Wai.lim@health.wa.gov.au.
authors.forename: Wai Hon
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Unit, Perth, Australia. joshua.lewis@uwa.edu.au.|Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Australia. joshua.lewis@uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Centre for Kidney Research, Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia. jonathan.craig@sydney.edu.au.|School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. jonathan.craig@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. r.turner@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Unit, Perth, Australia. kathy.zhu@health.wa.gov.au.|Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Australia. kathy.zhu@health.wa.gov.au.
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: PathWest, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Australia. eemun.lim@health.wa.gov.au.
authors.forename: Ee Mun
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Unit, Perth, Australia. richard.prince@uwa.edu.au.|Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, Australia. richard.prince@uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prince
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D