Effect of Dietary Vitamin D and Calcium on the Growth of Androgen-insensitive Human Prostate Tumor in a Murine Model

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk of prostate cancer (PC) in epidemiologic and prospective studies. An association has also been made between high dietary calcium and increased PC risk. In this study, we evaluated the effect of dietary vitamin D and calcium on the growth of human androgen-insensitive prostate tumor in an athymic mouse model. We observed highest tumor growth in the normal calcium - vitamin D-deficient group, while tumor growth between the normal calcium - vitamin D-sufficient, high calcium - vitamin D-sufficient and high calcium - vitamin D-deficient diet-groups did not significantly differ but was significantly lower than that in the normal calcium - vitamin D-deficient group. Our results suggest an important role of dietary vitamin D as a preventive agent in androgen-insensitive PC.