Regular use of vitamin D supplement is associated with fewer melanoma cases compared to non-use: a cross-sectional study in 498 adult subjects at risk of skin cancers

Abstract

There are conflicting results on the role of vitamin D system in cutaneous carcinogenesis. Therefore, it was investigated whether the use of oral vitamin D supplements associates with photoaging, actinic keratoses, pigment cell nevi, and skin cancers. In this cross-sectional study, 498 adults (aged 21-79 years, 253 males, 245 females, 96 with immunosuppression) subjects at risk of any type of skin cancer were examined, and possible confounding factors were evaluated. The subjects were divided into three groups based on their self-reported use of oral vitamin D supplements: nonuse, occasional use, or regular use. The serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 was analyzed in 260 subjects. In 402 immunocompetent subjects, vitamin D use did not associate with photoaging, actinic keratoses, nevi, basal, and squamous cell carcinoma. In contrast, there were lower percentages of subjects with a history of past or present melanoma (32/177, 18.1% versus 32/99, 32.3%, P = 0.021) or any type of skin cancer (110/177, 62.1% versus 74/99, 74.7%, P = 0.027) among regular users compared to non-users. In the logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for melanoma was 0.447 (P = 0.016, 95% confidence interval, 0.231-0.862) among regular users. Furthermore, the investigator-estimated risk class of skin cancers was significantly lower among regular users. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D3 did not show marked associations with skin-related parameters. The results on 96 immunosuppressed subjects were somewhat similar, although the number of subjects was low. In conclusion, regular use of vitamin D associates with fewer melanoma cases, when compared to non-use, but the causality between them is obscure.

Tobacco smoking is associated with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma but not with basal cell carcinoma or melanoma in adult subjects at risk of skin cancer: A cross-sectional study

“…Because multiple skin lesions were studied, a sufficiently large cohort was recruited. The inclusion and exclusion criteria have been described recently in more detail 22 , 23 . Briefly, the adult subjects aged 18–80 years were evaluated to be at an increased risk for any type of skin cancer as assessed by a dermatologist after reading the referral text or medical records.…”

“…Before the first visit, the subjects filled in a comprehensive data collection form with information on demographic details, body mass index (BMI), different aspects of UV exposure, diseases in skin and other organs, medication, and smoking 22 , 23 . In this study, tobacco smoking was defined as the use of combustible forms of tobacco, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, or tobacco pipes.…”

Spectrum of malignant and premalignant skin lesions in 505 adult subjects at risk of skin cancers

“…In this study, 505 adult subjects (aged 21–79 years, mean ± SD age 62.4 ± 13.7 years, 256 males and 249 females) were recruited at the dermatological outpatient clinic of Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland, from May 2017—October 2020. For the recruitment, the medical staff in the outpatient clinic, unrelated to the study, were instructed to provide all subjects aged 18 to 80 years referred to the clinic with a possibility to participate in the study based on the preliminary assessment of their risk of developing any type of skin cancer, including the evaluation of the history of skin cancers or PM lesions, cutaneous photodamage, number of moles, atypical moles, immunosuppression, skin phototype, and family history of melanoma, as described recently [ 13 – 15 ]. Upon arrival, the subject declared his or her willingness to participate in the study.…”

Patients with a history of atopy have fewer cutaneous melanomas than those without atopy: a cross-sectional study in 496 patients at risk of skin cancers

“…To obtain the study cohort, the adult subjects ( n = 496, aged 21–79 years) were recruited at the dermatological outpatient clinic of Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland, during May 2017–October 2020 based solely on the inclusion criteria that subject is at the age of 18–80 years and may be at risk of any type of skin cancer. The principles for the recruitment and risk evaluation have been described recently [34]. Those subjects who had a significant psychiatric or neurologic disorder affecting markedly the mental health, memory, capability to understand decision-making, or were convicted prisoners, were excluded.…”