Lung cancer is one of the deadliest of all cancers for both men
and women -- more than 160,000 people die from the disease each
year. However, there may be a silver lining to this dark cloud of
statistics: Undergoing lung cancer surgery during a sunny time of
year may improve one's chances of survival.
Why? Vitamin D.
Researchers found that patients who had surgery for early-stage
lung cancer did better if they went under the knife during the sunnier
part of the year or took a high dose of vitamin D prior to surgery.
In fact, patients who had surgery during the sunniest part of the
year and consumed a higher amount of vitamin D more than doubled
their chances of survival beyond the five-year mark compared to
patients who had surgeries in the winter and took a lesser amount
of the vitamin.
Sun, Vitamin D and Survival
In their study, researchers analyzed some 450 patients (average
age 69) with early stage and non-small lung cancer (80 percent had
stage I cancer and the remaining 20 percent had more advanced stage
II cancer).
All of the patients had surgery to remove the cancer while 9 percent
also received radiation and 1 percent received chemotherapy. Five-year
survival rates were 25 percent higher for those who went under the
knife in the spring, summer or fall, compared to those who had surgery
in the winter. Statistically, survival rates were:
- Summer surgeries: 59 percent
- Spring/fall surgeries: 57 percent
- Winter surgeries: 50 percent
Moreover, those who had the highest intake of vitamin D were 28
percent less likely to die. The five-year survival rate for those
who had surgery in the summer and had the
highest intake of vitamin D was 72 percent, compared to 30 percent
for those who had surgery in the winter and the lowest vitamin D
intake.
While researchers do not recommend putting off lung cancer surgery
until warmer months, they do advise increasing vitamin D intake
for its survival benefits.
Forbes
April 19, 2005
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