Originally published November 8 2005
Harvard team finds sunlight promotes successful surgeries
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
In a study of 456 patients, researchers from Harvard University found that surgeries performed in summer months, when sunlight exposure resulted in higher vitamin D levels in patients, were more successful than those performed in wintry months, when vitamin D production was down.
Last Updated: Friday, 22 April, 2005, 23:26 GMT 00:26 UK E-mail this to a friend Printable version Vitamin D 'aids lung cancer ops' Image of a chest x-ray Lung cancer is responsible for nearly a quarter of all cancer deaths Lung cancer patients who have surgery in the winter are 40% more likely to die of the disease than those operated on in the summer, a US study suggests.
A study of 456 patients found high levels of vitamin D - from sun exposure and food supplements - had a positive impact on the success of surgery.
Lead researcher Wei Zhou said: "This study in no way suggests that people should try to time their cancer surgeries for a particular season - that would obviously be impossible.
Researchers studied the treatment of 456 lung cancer patients of which only 10% had had either radiation treatment of chemotherapy.
Looking at the effect of the seasons, the team found patients who had operations in the winter were 40% more likely to die from their cancer than those who had the operation in the summer.
When the joint effect of the season and vitamin D levels were taken into consideration, there was a three-fold better chance of survival, evidence presented to the American Association of Cancer Research showed.
Lung cancer is responsible for 33,600 deaths a year in the UK - nearly a quarter of the total number of cancer mortalities.
Dr Kat Arney, science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said more research was needed to see if increasing the levels of vitamin D before surgery would be beneficial.
But she added: "There is no substantial evidence to suggest that excessive sun exposure or vitamin D supplementation can have a protective effect against cancer in healthy people.
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