The potency of Vitamin D against ovarian cancer. Before moving on to learn what ovarian cancer is and how vitamins, notably vitamin D aid in preventing the further development of ovarian cancer, we will first learn what cancer is and how it starts. After that, we will move on to learn what ovarian cancer is.
- How cancer begins
- An Overview of Ovarian Cancer
- Vitamin D
- The potency of Vitamin D against ovarian cancer
- A study demonstrating the effectiveness of vitamin D against ovarian cancer found
The human body is composed of billions of cells, each of which can only be seen by using a microscope. When cells in our bodies come together, they form the tissues and organs that make up our bodies.
In a normal situation, cells will only divide in order to replenish dead or damaged cells. Cancer happens when something goes wrong inside a single cell causing it to keep dividing indefinitely until it forms a lump or tumor.
It is possible for a cancer to be either non-cancerous (also known as benign) or cancerous (malignant). A cancer that is benign does not metastasize, or spread, to other areas of the body. However, a malignant cancer has the potential to spread.
Cancer is a disease that occurs when abnormal cells in the body continue to divide and develop uncontrollably.
An Overview of Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer develops when abnormal cells in the ovary begin to proliferate and divide uncontrollably. This can progress to ovarian cancer and eventually form a growth (tumor). Cancer cells will eventually invade the tissues around them. That is, if the disease is not detected and treated in its early stages. It is possible for them to spread to other parts of the body.
Cancer of the ovary refers to a group of illnesses that begin in the ovaries. It may be found in the associated tissues of the fallopian tubes and the peritoneum. Both of a woman’s ovaries are housed in the pelvic region. One to the left and one to the right of the uterus.
The ovaries are responsible for the creation of female hormones as well as eggs, which are used for reproduction. Each side of the uterus has a pair of fallopian tubes, which are a pair of long, slender tubes. Fallopian tubes allow women to bear children.
The uterus receives eggs from the ovaries after they have traveled via the fallopian tubes. The tissue that lines the inside of the abdomen and protects the organs is called the peritoneum.
Treatment is more effective when administered during the early stages of ovarian cancer. It is important to pay attention to your body and learn what is normal for you. This is because ovarian cancer often has signs and symptoms.
It is possible that the symptoms are caused by something other than cancer. However, the only way to be certain is to consult with your doctor, nurse, or another qualified medical expert.
Vitamin D and Ovarian Cancer
In a laboratory at a Japanese university, researchers discovered that vitamin D helped protect cells against ovarian cancer cells.
Vitamin D is a hormone that our bodies produce. This also includes vitamins that come from the food that we eat. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that has been known for a long time to help the body absorb and store calcium and phosphorus. These are both important for building bones.
Studies conducted in laboratories have shown that vitamin D can inhibit the development of cancer cells. It also assists in the management of infections and reduces inflammation. Vitamin D receptors have been found in a significant number of the body’s organs and tissues. This hints at crucial activities beyond those related to bone health. Scientists are currently studying additional possible functions for vitamin D.
The potency of Vitamin D against ovarian cancer
Vitamin D inhibits a pathway that ovarian cancer cells use to metastasize, or spread, to other organs. This is according to the findings of researchers from the Graduate School of Medicine at Nagoya University in Japan.
Dr. William Dahut, the chief scientific officer for the American Cancer Society, says that studies that looked at this mechanism “have not been satisfactory in the clinic.”
According to Dahut, “Studies such as this might possibly establish the groundwork for future clinical studies.”
The results of the study are limited. This is because the researchers did not conduct a placebo-controlled clinical trial, which is considered to be the “gold standard” of research design. This is because the researchers tested cells that had been removed from the body and used mathematical models to find their results.
During the course of the research, human cells grown on a petri dish were compared to mouse cells.
On the other hand, the researchers are excited about their results, which fit into a larger field of research about low vitamin D levels and the risk of ovarian cancer.
Outside of the body’s major organs, cells act as a barrier for ovarian cancer cells that migrate from the ovaries to other parts of the body.
But it has been shown that ovarian cancer cells can connect with the mesothelial cells that make up a protective layer around important organs.
Mesothelial cells and Vitamin D
According to the findings of the study, mesothelial cells may be helped by high levels of vitamin D to repair any damage and return to their normal form.
The principal author of the study, Kazuhisa Kitami, stated in a press release that “we revealed the potential of vitamin D for normalizing cancer-associated mesothelial cells.” This was the first study of its sort.
According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer fatalities among women and has been responsible for more deaths than other malignancies of the female reproductive system. But few clinical trials have shown strong evidence that low levels of vitamin D are linked to cancer.
Patients with ovarian cancer may have it for years before they notice its small signs, such as bloating and pain in the abdomen.
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Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to several diseases, including ovarian cancer. However, little clinical research has revealed sufficient evidence for a connection between the two.
On the National Institutes of Health website, there is a list of 10 clinical trials that are looking into vitamin D as a cancer treatment.
A low vitamin D content was shown to be connected with greater ovarian cancer susceptibility in a study that was conducted in 2016 and involved the genomes of more than 31,000 European women.
A recent study in the journal Cancer found that women of color and women of Latino descent with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to get breast cancer.
Supplements might be of assistance to those who are lacking in vitamin D.
Ryan Andrews, a qualified dietitian who has talked with Insider in the past, says that most people can get enough vitamin D from the sun.
According to the National Institutes of Health, however, a sizable portion of the world’s population does not get enough. Vitamin D insufficiency is more likely to occur in elderly people, people with dark complexions, those who work from home, and those who live a great distance from the equator.
It is strongly recommended that patients consult with their primary care physicians before beginning to use vitamin D supplements.