Vitamin D Ovarian Cancer Treatment

Ovarian cancer is not usually diagnosed until it is in advanced stages. At that point, only 50 percent of patients survive. With such high mortality rates, finding new treatments is a priority. Some doctors are suggesting that patients supplement conventional ovarian cancer treatment with high doses of vitamin D.

Considerations

• According to a May 2009 Moores Cancer Center study, vitamin D deficiency plays a role in ovarian cancer development.

Expert Insight

• Ovarian cancer is generally treated with surgery followed by chemotherapy. Vitamin D is not a widely accepted treatment, but according to John Jacob Cannell, MD, Director of the Vitamin D Council, all of the research suggests that ovarian cancer patients will live longer if they take vitamin D.

Benefits

• To maximize any potential benefits of vitamin D to ovarian cancer patients, Cannell recommends taking at least 5,000 IU per day.

Potential

• According to Yingyu Ma, MD, of Roswell Park Cancer Institute, vitamin D can be used to slow the growth of ovarian cancer cells and is especially effective when used in tandem with chemotherapy.

Significance

• Approximately 22,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year.