Vitamin D deficiency predicts prostate biopsy outcomes

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Endocrinology
• Oncology

Background:

• Prostate cancer is a leading cause of death among men.
• Vitamin D plays a role in various cellular processes, including cancer development.
• The relationship between vitamin D levels and prostate biopsy outcomes remains under-investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between serum vitamin D levels and prostate biopsy results.
• To evaluate vitamin D status in relation to prostate cancer diagnosis, Gleason score, and tumor stage.

Main Methods:

• Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D) levels were measured in 667 men aged 40-79 undergoing prostate biopsy.
• Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between 25-OH D status and biopsy outcomes.
• Participants were recruited from Chicago urology clinics.

Main Results:

• In European American men, vitamin D levels below 12 ng/mL were associated with higher Gleason scores (≥ 4+4) and advanced tumor stages (≥ cT2b).
• In African American men, vitamin D levels below 20 ng/mL correlated with an increased likelihood of prostate cancer diagnosis.
• Severe vitamin D deficiency (< 12 ng/mL) in African American men was linked to higher Gleason scores (≥ 4+4) and advanced tumor stages (≥ cT2b).

Conclusions:

• Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer diagnosis in African American men.
• Both European American and African American men with severe vitamin D deficiency showed associations with higher Gleason grades and tumor stages.
• These findings highlight the potential role of vitamin D status in prostate cancer aggressiveness.