CancerCompass message board discussion started by Melanomavitamindguy on 3/13/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,10317,0.htm Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/   TO: All melanoma researchers, doctors, and patients.  It is high time we filled in details to sharpen the picture and eliminate any remaining doubt that melanoma is a vitamin D deficiency cancer.  The 1981 discovery (1) found that the active vitamin D metabolite 1,25D (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) inhibits the growth of human melanoma cells, and although it wasn't yet known for a few years (2), the skin makes this 1,25D from the circulating precursor 25D (25-hydroxyvitamin D3), which is produced in the liver from the inactive vitamin D (cholecalciferol) that is formed in skin exposed to sunlight.  Also in the mid-1980's (3), it was found that the 1,25D hormone inhibits the growth of skin cells. (See (1) Colston K, Colston MJ, Feldman D. "1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and malignant melanoma: the presence of receptors and inhibition of cell growth in culture." Endocrinology. 1981 March;108(3):1083-6.  (2) Bikle DD, Nemanic MK, Gee E, Elias P.  "1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 production by human keratinocytes. Kinetics and regulation." J Clin Invest. 1986 Aug;78(2):557-66.  (3) Smith EL, Walworth NC, Holick MF. "Effect of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on the morphologic and biochemical differentiation of cultured human epidermal keratinocytes grown in serum-free conditions." J Invest Dermatol. 1986 Jun;86(6):709-14.) Now, every structure or process in the body has a logical purpose for being the way it is.  So, why would the body continue sending vitamin D (25D) to the skin if it were faced with a critical shortage?  Wouldn't the epidermis be the last place the body would send that precious, remaining vitamin D (25D)?  Why would the body suffer a vitamin D (25D) deficiency first inside an organ, gland, or bone, if it didn't have any chance whatsoever of gaining more vitamin D (cholecalciferol) from the internal depletion? James SemmelAlbuquerque, New Mexico  Melanomavitamindguy Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT