Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.

Use escape to exit the menu.

Vitamin D could be a surprise weapon against cancer, new research suggests.

A study of mice published in the journal Science last week found that eating a diet rich in vitamin D changed the gut microbiome in a way that boosted cancer immunity.

The micronutrient increased levels of the bacterium Bacteroides fragilis, which has been shown to improve cancer immune response.

BE WELL: PREPARE A DINNER RICH IN VITAMIN D FOR GOOD HEALTH

The mice that received vitamin D showed improved responses to cancer immunotherapy and greater immunity to new tumor development, according to researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in London, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Aalborg University in Denmark.

“What we’ve shown here came as a surprise — vitamin D can regulate the gut microbiome to favor a type of bacteria that gives mice better immunity to cancer,” said senior study author Caetano Reis e Sousa, head of the Immunobiology Laboratory at Crick, in a press release.

“This could one day be important for cancer treatment in humans.”

The researchers aren’t yet sure why vitamin D seems to foster a “good” microbiome.

WHY IMMUNOTHERAPY IS EMERGING AS THE ‘FOURTH PILLAR’ OF CANCER TREATMENTS, EXPERTS SAY

“If we can answer this, we might uncover new ways in which the microbiome influences the immune system, potentially offering exciting possibilities in preventing or treating cancer,” said co-author Evangelos Giampazolias, former postdoctoral researcher at the Crick and now group leader of the Cancer Immunosurveillance Group at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, in the release.

Previous studies have linked vitamin D to improved immunity against cancer. (iStock)

Shama Farooq, M.D., a neuro-oncologist at Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, was not involved in the study but shared his comments on the findings.

“As a doctor who treats patients with cancer, my initial reaction to this study was one of intrigue and optimism,” he told Fox News Digital. 

IN POTENTIAL CANCER BREAKTHROUGH, NEWLY FOUND ‘KILL SWITCH’ TRIGGERS DEATH OF CANCER CELLS: ‘ONE-TWO PUNCH’

“The findings suggest a potential link between vitamin D levels, the microbiome and cancer immunity, offering potential new avenues for improving cancer treatment and prevention strategies.”

Continued research into improving the body’s immunity against cancer is “crucial,” Farooq noted.

“Cancer is a complex disease with diverse mechanisms of evasion,” he said. 

The micronutrient increased levels of the bacterium Bacteroides fragilis, which has been shown to improve cancer immune response. (iStock)

“By exploring new ways to boost the immune system’s ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells, researchers can develop more effective and targeted treatments, ultimately improving patient outcomes and survival rates.”

Based on the findings of this study, Farooq said he recommends people make sure their vitamin D levels are adequate, “as part of a comprehensive approach to potentially lowering their risk of cancer.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“While more research is needed to fully understand the relationship, maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D is generally beneficial for overall health and may contribute to reducing cancer risk,” he added.

Studies in humans are needed to learn more about the link between vitamin D and cancer immunity, the researchers acknowledged.

Vitamin D has been linked to improved responses to cancer immunotherapy and greater immunity to new tumor development. (iStock)

“More work is needed before we can conclusively say that correcting a vitamin D deficiency has benefits for cancer prevention or treatment,” said Sousa.

Farooq echoed the need for more research.

“Moving forward, I would like to see further research delve deeper into the mechanisms underlying the interaction between Vitamin D, the microbiome and cancer immunity,” he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

Almost 40% of Americans will receive a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lifetime — but certain types are more common than others, statistics show.

USAFacts, a Washington-based nonprofit that compiles government data and reports on it, took a deep dive into the latest cancer data to identify trends — and shared the results with Fox News Digital.

Of the 1.96 million new cancer cases in 2023, half were made up of five types: breast cancer (15%), prostate cancer (15%), lung and bronchus cancer (12%), colorectal cancers (8%) and all other types (50%).

CANCER CAUSES: THESE 10 HIDDEN CARCINOGENS CAN RAISE THE RISK, ACCORDING TO AN ONCOLOGY EXPERT

Among the 609,820 cancer deaths in 2023, nearly half were made up of lung and bronchus cancer (21%), colorectal cancers (9%), pancreatic cancer (8%) and breast cancer (7%). 

The remaining 55% of deaths were attributed to other cancers.

While cancer cases have risen overall due to a growing population, the share of people getting diagnosed and dying from the disease has decreased.

“Between 2000 and 2019, the incidence rate — or the rate of new cancer cases per 100,000 people — declined by 5.4%, while the annual mortality rate fell by more than 26%,” the report stated.

The share of people getting diagnosed and dying from cancer has actually decreased.

Advertisement

“This suggests improvements in cancer prevention, detection and treatment,” Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurologist and longevity expert, told Fox News Digital in a statement.

Osborn was not involved in the report, but commented on the findings.

Here are five standout observations.

1. Gender-specific risk

As of 2019, men were about 15.4% more likely to receive a new cancer diagnosis and 37.5% more likely to die from the disease than women.

That gap has narrowed since 2000, however, when the cancer incidence rate was more than 37% higher for men.

FOODS TO EAT, AND NOT EAT, TO PREVENT CANCER, ACCORDING TO A DOCTOR AND NUTRITIONIST

For men, the most common cancers are prostate, lung and colorectal cancers, the USAFacts report stated. 

Those types made up 50.8% of new cancer cases and 45.9% of cancer deaths in 2023 among males. 

As of 2019, men were about 15.4% more likely to receive a new cancer diagnosis and 37.5% more likely to die from the disease than women. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention )

Among women, the most prevalent types are breast cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. 

Those three types comprised 54.6% of new cancer cases and 50.1% of cancer deaths in 2023 for females.

2. Cancer rates across ethnic groups

White Americans have the highest rate of new cancer diagnoses, followed by non-Hispanic Black Americans, the report stated.

Among cancer deaths, however, non-Hispanic Black Americans are at the highest risk.

SOME BREAST CANCER PATIENTS COULD BE AT RISK OF ANOTHER TYPE OF CANCER, STUDY REVEALS

Non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander Americans have the lowest risk of diagnosis and mortality. 

Overall cancer incidence rates have dropped between 2000 and 2019 for every group except American Indian/Alaska Native people, who experienced a nearly 35% increase in diagnoses.

White Americans have the highest rate of new cancer diagnoses, followed by non-Hispanic Black Americans, the report stated. (National Cancer Institute)

“While the reason behind these disparities is hard to pin down, contributing factors include access to health care, environmental conditions, lifestyle behaviors and genetics,” the report states.

3. Cancer survival rates

The five-year cancer survival rate has risen, going from 63.5% in 2000 to 68.4% in 2015 — and is expected to continue its upward trend.

“This improvement is credited to better prevention, early detection and advancements in treatment,” according to Osborn.

The five-year cancer survival rate has risen, going from 63.5% in 2000 to 68.4% in 2015, and is expected to continue its upward trend. (National Cancer Institute)

Survival rates vary by cancer type.

The cancers with the highest five-year survival rate are thyroid (98.8%), prostate cancer (96.5%), testicular cancer (95.7%), skin cancer (93.6%) and breast cancer (91.0%).

CANCER RATES RISING IN YOUNG PEOPLE DUE TO ‘ACCELERATED AGING,’ NEW STUDY FINDS: ‘HIGHLY TROUBLING’

“It should be noted that estimated cancer deaths in 2023 do not reflect the five-year survival rate between 2015 and 2020, as deaths in 2023 may result from cancer cases diagnosed prior to the five-year window,” the report stated.

4. Average age of cancer diagnosis

Age is the most prevalent risk factor for a cancer diagnosis, according to the report.

Diagnosis rates rise steadily for each decade of life.

Age is the most prevalent risk factor for a cancer diagnosis, according to the new report. (National Cancer Institute)

The average age of diagnosis is 66 and the average age of death is 72, according to data gathered by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) between 2016 and 2020.

The disease can occur at any age, however — which is why experts recommend early screenings to reduce mortality rates.

5. Importance of guarding against ‘complacency’

Despite the improvements in cancer incidence and mortality rates, Osborn warned that Americans “should not be lulled into complacency.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“According to 2024 data from the American Cancer Society, the incidence of six of the most common cancers – namely those related to excess body weight, such as endometrial, liver, kidney, pancreas, colorectal and breast – are on the rise and may temper the declining mortality rate in the future,” he warned.

Rising obesity rates in the U.S. are a direct cancer driver, Osborn indicated.

While cancer cases have risen overall due to a growing population, the share of people getting diagnosed and dying from the disease has decreased. (National Cancer Institute)

“It is estimated that more than two in five adults (42.4%) have obesity – a gateway disease to cancer — according to recent data from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases,” said Osborn. 

“One can only hope that we are not headed in the wrong direction.”

“Unless the tide is turned and the obesity epidemic is addressed, the observed reduction in the annual rate of new cancers and associated mortality will slow and potentially be extinguished,” he continued. 

“One can only hope that we are not headed in the wrong direction.”

USAFacts compiled its report using data from the NCI, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.