TY - JOUR A2 - Haynes, Joel R. AU - Donkena, Krishna Vanaja AU - Young, Charles Y. F. PY - 2011 DA - 2011/06/08 TI - Vitamin D, Sunlight and Prostate Cancer Risk SP - 281863 VL - 2011 AB - Prostate cancer is the second common cancer in men worldwide. The prevention of prostate cancer remains a challenge to researchers and clinicians. Here, we review the relationship of vitamin D and sunlight to prostate cancer risk. Ultraviolet radiation of the sunlight is the main stimulator for vitamin D production in humans. Vitamin D's antiprostate cancer activities may be involved in the actions through the pathways mediated by vitamin D metabolites, vitamin D metabolizing enzymes, vitamin D receptor (VDR), and VDR-regulated genes. Although laboratory studies including the use of animal models have shown that vitamin D has antiprostate cancer properties, whether it can effectively prevent the development and/or progression of prostate cancer in humans remains to be inconclusive and an intensively studied subject. This review will provide up-to-date information regarding the recent outcomes of laboratory and epidemiology studies on the effects of vitamin D on prostate cancer prevention. SN - 2090-3480 UR - https://doi.org/10.4061/2011/281863 DO - 10.4061/2011/281863 JF - Advances in Preventive Medicine PB - SAGE-Hindawi Access to Research KW - ER -