Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40004963›Full record

SynthesisNutrients2025

A Systematic Review of Vitamin D Supplementation in Oncology: Chance of Science or Effectiveness?

Marta Lourenço Afonso, Manuel Luís Capelas, Nuno M Pimenta, Teresa Santos, Antti Mäkitie, Susana Ganhão-Arranhado, Carolina Trabulo, David da Silva Dias, Pedro Miguel Neves, Paula Ravasco

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Nutrients, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Marta Lourenço AfonsoUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal.
Manuel Luís CapelasUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-8993-6854
Nuno M PimentaUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS), 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0003-2317-9755
Teresa SantosUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS), 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal.
Antti MäkitieUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS), 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-0451-2404
Susana Ganhão-ArranhadoUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS), 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal.
Carolina TrabuloUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS), 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal.
David da Silva DiasUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS), 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-4806-691X
Pedro Miguel NevesUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS), 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-8641-8859
Paula RavascoUniversidade Católica Portuguesa, Faculty of Health Sciences and Nursing, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Health (CIIS), 1649-023 Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-6056-8269

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVitamin D (VD) supplementation has increased considerably in the last decade, whether for the prevention or treatment of numerous diseases, including bone, cardiovascular, endocrine, neurologic, psychological, respiratory, infectious, or oncological. The primary objective of this scoping review was to examine and synthesize the scientific evidence on the role of VD in all-type cancer patients undergoing adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy with chemotherapy (CT) or radiotherapy (RT), namely in improving side effects.

methodsThis review was conducted by selecting papers from the CINAHL, Scopus and PubMed databases based on the descriptor terms mesh and title/abstract, taking into consideration the defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, following the PRISMA-ScR (PRISMA extension for scoping reviews) statement.

resultsA total of 758 papers were identified in different databases during this review. However, using the inclusion and exclusion criteria, only five publications made up the final sample of the study. The studies included heterogeneous study methodologies, objectives, cancer diagnosis, as well as methods to assess body composition, which makes it difficult to compare them. Based on the analyzed studies, associations were found between bone density and VD in patients who underwent preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT). In patients with non-small-cell lung cancer receiving CT, some of the side effects associated with the treatment were attenuated and reduced. In addition, another of the studies analyzed found that VD deficiency (VDD) has been associated with increased peripheral neuropathy (PN) induced by CT in the treatment of breast cancer. VD supplementation was found to be safe and effective.

conclusionsIn this scoping review, VD is highlighted as a crucial factor in preventing the side effects of neoadjuvant RT or CT, as well as treating other treatment-related health conditions, such as osteoporosis, as well as ameliorating the side effects (nausea, vomiting, fatigue) associated with aggressive CT and RT.

Indexed as

Dietary SupplementsNeoplasmsVitamin DVitamin D DeficiencyBone DensityFemaleHumansNeoadjuvant TherapyTreatment OutcomeVitamin Dadverse effectscancerneoadjuvant therapyneoplasmvitamin D

Identifiers

PMID40004963
PMCPMC11858158

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.