Vitamin D levels and skin cancer

The study included 3,223 health maintenance organisation patients who sought treatment for osteoporosis or low bone density between 1997 and 2001. Vitamin D levels were recorded at baseline and claims data used to determine the number of cases of NMSC diagnosed between 1997 and 2009.

The authors found that 2,257 patients were vitamin D deficient, while 966 had sufficient vitamin D. A total of 240 patients had NMSC, 49 of which were squamous cell carcinomas and 163, basal cell carcinomas. Patients with vitamin D levels greater than 15ng/mL were positively linked to NMSC. The association between vitamin D and risk of NMSC was not significant on parts of the body less exposed to UV.
Eide MJ, Johnson DA, Jacobsen GR et al. Arch Dermatol 2011