- MONDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) — A possible link between melanoma
and a gene involved in vitamin D metabolism has been identified by Italian
researchers.

They examined existing scientific literature on the association between
melanoma (the most serious type of skin cancer) and common variants of the
vitamin D receptor gene Bsml, and concluded that people with certain
variants of the gene may be at increased risk for melanoma.

The University of Padova team said more research is needed to confirm
this link between the gene variants and melanoma.

“These findings prompt further investigation on this subject and
indirectly support the hypothesis that sun exposure might have an
anti-melanoma effect through activation of the vitamin D system,” the
researchers wrote.

The study was published in the Nov. 1 issue of Cancer.

Previous research has shown that vitamin D has significant protective
effects against the development of cancer, because it regulates cells
growth, cell differentiation and cell death. There's also evidence that
sun exposure, which triggers the body to produce vitamin D, can have
anti-cancer effects, according to background information in a
Cancer news release about the study.

Vitamin D works by binding to a receptor in cells. Genetic differences
in the vitamin D receptor gene Bsml mean that people may have different
levels of vitamin D in their bodies, which means some may have more
vitamin D-related protection against cancer than others, according to the
study.

More information

The National Cancer Institute has more about melanoma.