Takeaway
- In patients with melanoma, vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher Breslow thickness and mortality rates.
Why this matter
- Circulating vitamin D may play a crucial role in delaying melanoma progression rather than preventing melanoma development.
Study design
- 25 studies including 11,166 patients with melanoma met eligibility criteria after a search across PubMed, Embase and Cochrane database.
- Funding: None.
Key results
- No significant difference was observed in serum vitamin D levels between melanoma and control groups (standardised mean difference [SMD], −0.185; 95% CI, −0.533 to 0.162; P=.295).
- Melanoma vs control group had a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (OR, 2.115; 95% CI, 1.151-3.885; P=.016).
- In terms of prognosis, serum vitamin D level was significantly higher in patients with tumour thickness ≦1 mm than those with tumour thickness >1 mm (SMD, 0.243; 95% CI, 0.160-0.327; P<.001).
- Patients with melanoma and lower vitamin D levels had a significantly higher mortality rate vs those with higher vitamin D levels (HR, 1.558; 95% CI, 1.258-1.931; P<.001).
Limitations
- Heterogeneity among studies.
- Risk of confounding.
References
References
