A systematic literature review of vitamin D and ovarian cancer

Abstract

We assessed the evidence supporting a reduction in risk for ovarian cancer occurrence or mortality with greater vitamin D exposures. 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. 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. 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.