Vitamin D and lung cancer: A narrative review

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. The aim of the present review was to describe the role of vitamin D in the pathophysiology, prevention, treatment and prognosis of lung cancer, based on the current scientific evidence. Although there is evidence supporting the hypothesis of an anticancer effect of vitamin D, the current scientific literature does not allow definitive conclusions on the ability of vitamin D intake and 25(OH)D3 serum levels to reduce lung cancer risk. Some encouraging results were obtained with respect to the clinical utility of vitamin D-based medications as potential boosters of lung cancer therapies. Future steps in this field could lead to the design of novel pharmacological strategies with the intent to enhance the curative effects of modern targeted therapeutic agents against lung cancer.