Abstract
Vitamin D, or more precisely its active metabolite calcitriol (1,25-(OH)2D3), plays a fundamental role in bone metabolism and differentiation as well as in intestinal absorption of calcium and regulation of calcium-phosphate metabolism. Recent decades have brought about the discovery of the role of calcitriol in processes regulating cell differentiation, proliferation, angiogenesis and apoptosis. This creates the potential for numerous therapeutic applications of vitamin D in diseases associated with autoaggressive immune responses or in cancer. This study presents selected issues regarding current knowledge of the anti-cancer mechanisms of vitamin D.
- Received March 15, 2019.
- Revision received May 21, 2019.
- Accepted May 23, 2019.
- Copyright© 2019, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved