Animal and human studies support a protective effect of vitamin D sufficiency related to malignancy by uncovering paracrine and autocrine effects of extra-renal 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) activation including regulation of cell cycle proliferation, apoptosis induction, and increased cell differentiation signaling. Recent epidemiologic studies demonstrate a reduction in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) risk with increased sunlight exposure. As sunlight is a major vitamin D source, it has been suggested that vitamin D status may mediate this observed association.

This review provides a comprehensive discussion of the current epidemiologic evidence with regard to the investigation of an association between vitamin D status and NHL risk.

Keywords: non-hodgkin lymphoma, cancer - vitamin d, 25(oh)d