Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.


This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about ways you can improve your chances for preventing or beating cancer. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, recently reported that adequate vitamin D could be key to preventing colon, breast or ovarian cancer. In the study, people with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to develop cancer.

Lona Sandon, a registered dietitian at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, says vitamin D’s main role is keeping bones strong by maintaining a balance between calcium and phosphorus in the blood, but it also helps regulate cell growth. A deficiency could allow cells to become cancerous.

Next: how much vitamin D do you need, and how do you get it?

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^{January 2006}

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