Image by Freepik
According to this research, it may be critical for patients with advanced melanoma to maintain normal vitamin D levels while using immunotherapy medicines known as immune checkpoint inhibitors. Wiley has published the findings online in CANCER, the American Cancer Society’s peer-reviewed publication.
Vitamin D has numerous effects on the body, including immune system control. To explore if vitamin D levels influenced the efficiency of immune checkpoint inhibitors, researchers examined the blood of 200 patients with advanced melanoma before and every 12 weeks during immunotherapy treatment.
The group with normal baseline vitamin D levels or normal levels acquired with vitamin D supplementation had a 56.0% positive response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitors, compared to 36.2% in the group with low vitamin D levels without supplementation. In these groups, progression free survival (the duration from therapy commencement to cancer progression) was 11.25 and 5.75 months, respectively.
“Of course, vitamin D is not itself an anti-cancer drug, but its normal serum level is needed for the proper functioning of the immune system, including the response that anti-cancer drugs like immune checkpoint inhibitors affect,” said lead author Łukasz Galus, MD, of Poznan University of Medical Sciences, in Poland. “In our opinion, after appropriately randomized confirmation of our results, the assessment of vitamin D levels and its supplementation could be considered in the management of melanoma.”
more recommended stories
FAST Walking Shows Promise in Post-Stroke RehabStroke remains one of the leading.
Legionnaires’ Disease Long-Term Effects on Patient RecoveryPersistent Symptoms and Post-Acute Infection Syndromes.
Brisk Walking: A 15-Minute Daily Habit That Reduces Mortality in Underserved PopulationsA powerful yet simple intervention A.
Vaping and Teen Smoking: UK Study Warns of Rising RisksA new study published in Tobacco.
Targeting Cancer Cell Memory Boosts ChemotherapyResearchers double chemotherapy effectiveness through chromatin.
PFAS Exposure Linked to Increased Type 2 Diabetes RiskInvestigating the Metabolic Impact of Forever.
Gecko-Inspired Nanoparticles Offer New Direction in Localized Cancer TherapyNature-Inspired Nanoparticles Deliver Precision Chemotherapy Researchers.
Staphylococcus Shows Complex Enzyme Redundancy, Study FindsA Bacterial Pathogen That Refuses to.
Can Routine Vaccines Help Combat Antibiotic Resistance?A growing body of evidence now.
T-bet and the Genetic Control of Memory B Cell DifferentiationIn a major advancement in immunology,.
Leave a Comment