Vitamin D in Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer patients
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Vitamin D in Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer patients among patients at Broomfield hospital.
IRAS ID
118059
Contact name
Subodha Rathnasiri Thanthulage
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Midessex NHS Trust (Broomfield hospital)
Research summary
Vitamin D is a nutrient that gives a wide-range of health benefits and one which has been supported by many publications. The essential role of vitamin D is to maintain bone health. Humans obtain Vitamin D in small amounts from food, dietary supplements and largely (more than 95%) from sunlight exposure. Low levels of vitamin D are very common in people in UK due to modern lifestyles, which increasingly involve working indoors during daylight hours. \nVitamin D deficiency has long been linked to pain in muscles & bones as well as many other chronic disease conditions such as diabetes, various types of cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. \nFew epidemiologic studies have examined the association between vitamin D and risk of upper GI cancers of the oesophagus or stomach. Cancers of the stomach and oesophagus cause very common incidences and mortalities worldwide. Nonetheless, there is evidence that the level of serum vitamin D is a significant independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer patients; Vitamin D deficiency may be associated with a poor prognosis.\nThe proposed research is to identify levels of vitamin D (prevalence of vitamin D deficiency) among upper gastrointestinal cancer patients. \nPatients over 18yrs old, who are presented for keyhole operations for cancer spread confirmation or cancer removal operations, are eligible for this study. \nDuration will be around 6months
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/WM/0217
Date of REC Opinion
21 May 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion