3rd Annual: is Melanoma Simply a Vitamin d Deficiency Cancer?

TO: All melanoma researchers, doctors, and patients. I am a 35-year-old electrical engineer investigating the role of Vitamin D in malignant melanoma and other skin tumors. Every year since 2003 I have published the accessible idea that melanoma is caused by a deficiency in the "sunshine vitamin", but thus far nobody has taken it seriously. Nonetheless, I will try again each year to stimulate any interest amongst the medical community or patient outreach by presenting the following basic evidence: The recent, widespread use of sunscreens began in the late 1960's to early 1970's, with SPF lotions originating in 1972. The government began collecting cancer statistics at that time, and melanoma showed a 4% year-to-year increase, alarmingly outpacing any other cancer growth. (Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, an internal disease that has been statistically associated with a risk of melanoma, became the second-fastest growing cancer.) Those lotions of the 1970's blocked UVB light, which is necessary for synthesizing Vitamin D3, but since Vitamin D3 does not normally occur in food, the increased use of sunscreens must have caused a relative deficiency. Thus, a material reason substantiates the strong historical correlation of melanoma and Vitamin D deficiency. The incidence of melanoma and Vitamin D deficiency continued to grow alongside further sun-protective efforts of the 1980's and 1990's. For example, in 1978 the FDA declared that sunscreens prevent skin cancer and following their increased demand, pediatric melanomas started becoming evident by the early 1990's; then in 1994, the National Weather Service began issuing daily "UV Index" forecasts in association with the EPA, which provides warnings to avoid the midday hours--those hours that are most important for Vitamin D synthesis--and in just the last few years, children barely out of the womb have made headlines with melanoma, unfathomable in the past. The site of skin cancer is equally illustrative. In males, the most common form of melanoma occurs largely on the trunk, which is typically covered by a shirt in modern times, but less often on the face and hands, which tend to receive more outdoor light; the trunk skin is thus more susceptible to Vitamin D depletion and consequently the formation of melanoma; the trunk is also a common site for dysplastic moles, seborrhea keratoses, and cherry hemangiomas, indicating that Vitamin D--or lack thereof--plays a role in those skin tumors as well. In females, melanoma commonly occurs on the legs, and since women are the ones wearing higher-heeled, pointier-toed, smaller-sized shoes, it seems that chronic circulatory disturbances, such as from poor posture, are relevant to melanoma. Now, it is essential to realize that excessive sunlight exposure darkens and thickens naturally white skin, which inhibits the synthesis of Vitamin D for those who apparently need it the most. Accordingly, the prevention of melanoma is an optimization problem, meaning that a balance must be maintained between getting too much sunlight and not enough. The extremist advice of dermatologists, to avoid the sun altogether, was therefore just as unwise as a tan; after all, tanning is Nature's own sunscreen. Indeed, moderation is the key to melanoma prevention. Based on the foregoing, I suggest that those who are at highest risk for melanoma take a daily D3 supplement and/or maintain the whitest possible skin, while exposing the largest possible area to the greatest amount of midday sunshine; remember that midday provides the most UVB and hence Vitamin D. But since fair skin gives less protection from carcinogenic ultraviolet wavelengths, such as UVA, I advise minimizing the use of unbalanced, electrical lights (especially fluorescent lighting) and avoiding direct sun exposure through window and automobile glass--just as was done by humans for millennia. And finally, posture correction would encourage a more even distribution of Vitamin D3, such as in the limbs and extremities where circulation can be problematic. Thank you very much for considering my novel approach. James S. Albuquerque, New Mexico

James interesting idea, but it seems to have some flaws. Vitamin D is only minimally supplied by sun. It is common in the diet, most notably in milk which has been fortified with Vitamin D for over 70 years. Your theory lacks any scientific proof and therefor could mostly be explained away. Here is some data you might have access to. Do all melanoma patients have a low Vitamin D level? Has there been a patient with normal Vitamin D levels who got melanoma? Do areas of the earth where the sun doesnt shine as much have higher melanoma rates?

Michael, Actually, Vitamin D is not commonly found in food, but even if it were, the UVB-blocking sunscreens of the 70's would still have caused an overall reduction in Vitamin D levels. Bear in mind that nutritional deficiency diseases eventually kill a person of any age. Right now researchers are claiming many cancers to be Vitamin D deficiency diseases, except for one: melanoma. I think they got it backwards. james

Perhaps "commonly" is the word that bothers you, but it is found in food including meats and fish and has been added to milk since the 30's. I still think you would need a "smoking gun" that directly linked low vitamin D levels to patients with melanoma and normal vitamin d levels to the absence of melanoma. It seems what you actually have is a theory. AS you say, low vitamin D levels has been associated with different cancers, but not melanoma (that I am aware of).

Michael, Ultimately, the answer will come from simply testing the idea, using high-dose Vitamin D therapy for treatment of melanoma, especially on late-stage patients. It costs little money, is easy to implement, and easy to gauge. So why isn't anyone willing to give it a try? Even newly formed moles respond to Vitamin D by turning lighter. The idea is not that far-fetched, but nobody wants to even try it. Nonetheless, I'll keep writing to the melanoma organizations and researchers and doctors in the hopes that one of them will someday try it. james

James physicians are reluctant to try new therapies that are unproven by clinical trials. A clinical trial involving Vitamin D is unlikely because there is no money in it. Vitamin D is available over the counter so patients could try it on their own, but it would be hard to get the number of patients necessary to make it valid.

Michael, A vicious cycle, isn't it? I think that the Internet will play a major role. As the idea of melanoma and Vitamin D spreads, more people will report direct results without the need for any complicated trials. As I said, even newly formed moles respond to Vitamin D therapy, and you can get a mole to turn lighter or darker depending on Vitamin D intake. Most people can easily see those changes and report them on Internet forums such as this one, no doctors or researchers necessary. james

James, Welcome to the world of medical research. Perhaps what you describe can happen, but without controls, end points and double blind cross overs, you really just have internet stories and that will not be accepted by the medical community. Basically , you have no proof.

And on top of that, much of it has become political in recent decades. It's no surprise then that researchers have completely failed to solve these diseases! Most people just aren't interested in trying new ideas, even though the Vitamin D-melanoma one is so easy and cheap. To me, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, not in a complicated research study. The thing is that it either works or it doesn't. A pioneering person who is noticing new moles forming, or turning darker, can pop a few Vitamin D pills each day and in a month they can see those new moles turning lighter. james

Check out this site on page 4 http://www.direct-ms.org/pdf/VitDGenScience/FullerVitaminD.pdf#search='vitamin%20d%20and%20melanoma' . Its also interesting that Seattle has the highest melanoma rate for women in the country and its grey and drizzly here all the time and we're 5th for men. I think there will be a vitamin D link.