November 2006 follow up: "Is melanoma simply a Vitamin D deficiency cancer?"

TO: All melanoma researchers, doctors, and patients.

A quarter-century ago, a group of researchers found that "human
melanoma cells are responsive to 1,25-(OH)2D3 in vitro. Inclusion of
1,25-(OH)2D3 in the culture medium produced a marked increase in cell
doubling time. This inhibitory effect of the hormone on melanoma cell
proliferation was dose-related and represents the first demonstration
of a 1,25-(OH)2D3 mediated action on tumor cells." (See Colston K,
Colston MJ, Feldman D. "1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and malignant
melanoma: the presence of receptors and inhibition of cell growth in
culture." Endocrinology. 1981 March;108(3):1083-6.)

Vitamin D is cheap, easily administered, and has no side effects--a
natural magic bullet--so why weren't human trials ever attempted?
Indeed, will another 25 years pass before Vitamin D3 is tested on
melanoma patients?

James Semmel
Albuquerque, New Mexico


reference:
http://www.mpip.org/bb/shtml/355761.shtml
Last month's follow up to the 3rd annual discussion: "Is melanoma
simply a Vitamin D deficiency cancer?"