Vitamin D: A complementary nutritional therapy for treatment of glioblastoma?

The active vitamin D hormone, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, is well established to inhibit cellular proliferation and induce differentiation in several cell types of the central nervous system. Indeed, a myriad of studies demonstrate the important role 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 plays in maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system. This mini review will briefly summarise in vitro, in vivo, and epidemiological evidence related to the anti-proliferative and anti-cancer activities of vitamin D in hyperproliferative disorders like brain cancer. Here, we focus on the clinical application of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and vitamin D analogues (synthetic vitamin D-like compounds) in glioblastoma treatment and discuss their potential as efficacious and tolerable adjunct therapeutic agents for patients diagnosed with this aggressive form of brain tumour.