QIMR Berghofer researchers have found vitamin D levels do not influence a person’s risk of developing most common cancers, suggesting that widespread use of vitamin D supplements is unlikely to prevent cancer.

The study used genetic markers of vitamin D to examine the relationship between vitamin D and endometrial, ovarian, oesophageal, prostate, pancreatic and lung cancers, as well as neuroblastoma, melanoma, and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin.

While they did not find a link between most of the cancers, the researchers did confirm previous research that found women who were genetically predisposed to having higher levels of vitamin D had a slightly lower risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Media Release by QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute on the 16th March 2021. To read the full release click here.