Reading Room: Does Vitamin D Improve Colorectal Cancer Survival Rates?

lizzydavis
lizzydavis Member Posts: 893
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Featured Post by World Renowned Surgeon and Oncologist Dr. Charles Balch


Does Vitamin D Improve Colorectal Cancer Survival Rates

There's a lot of controversy about the effects of Vitamin D on survival outcome for various forms of cancer, including breast, prostate and colorectal cancer. Several recent articles associating Vitamin D levels in the serum, as well as several large studies on Vitamin D supplements, have been published recently.

To read more…

http://www.patientresource.net/Opinions_By_Cancer_Experts.aspx

Comments

  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #2
    yes, inadequately researched
    Ok, correlation isn't causation and we suffer inadequate data from previous systematic biases. Wait until we get "perfect data", if ever? I subscribe to a different set of experts that use Bayesian inference and the totality of the literature, not just poorly combined favorites, to make recommendations.

    Given various reports, where larger vitamin D3 supplements of 2000-5000 iu only nudge the blood level of many (cancer) patients, the 200-400 iu of vitamin D in multivitamins (some still using D2) seems insignificant.

    Given Balch's two statements,"multivitamin supplementation during or after adjuvant chemotherapy failed to improve the outcomes in those with Stage III colon cancer who underwent surgical resection...It would make sense, however, for us to take a regular dose of multivitamin supplementation (but not high doses) as part of good " the doctor's precise logic appears unreported.

    Even for normal range health, there are a number of advanced researchers who have questioned the adequacy of multivitamin formula levels based on IOM - RDA nutrition politics, much less the special requirements of various illnesses and genotypes. It will be interesting to see if we can get some unbiased research after the 1950-2000 hiatus on healthful vitamin D use.

    In the meantime, the default recommendation seems to be to stick one's head in the sand and not to worry our pretty little heads about making an informed decision.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
    tanstaafl said:

    yes, inadequately researched
    Ok, correlation isn't causation and we suffer inadequate data from previous systematic biases. Wait until we get "perfect data", if ever? I subscribe to a different set of experts that use Bayesian inference and the totality of the literature, not just poorly combined favorites, to make recommendations.

    Given various reports, where larger vitamin D3 supplements of 2000-5000 iu only nudge the blood level of many (cancer) patients, the 200-400 iu of vitamin D in multivitamins (some still using D2) seems insignificant.

    Given Balch's two statements,"multivitamin supplementation during or after adjuvant chemotherapy failed to improve the outcomes in those with Stage III colon cancer who underwent surgical resection...It would make sense, however, for us to take a regular dose of multivitamin supplementation (but not high doses) as part of good " the doctor's precise logic appears unreported.

    Even for normal range health, there are a number of advanced researchers who have questioned the adequacy of multivitamin formula levels based on IOM - RDA nutrition politics, much less the special requirements of various illnesses and genotypes. It will be interesting to see if we can get some unbiased research after the 1950-2000 hiatus on healthful vitamin D use.

    In the meantime, the default recommendation seems to be to stick one's head in the sand and not to worry our pretty little heads about making an informed decision.

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

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