Relevance of Vitamin D in Melanoma Development, Progression and Therapy

Melanoma is one of the most lethal types of skin cancer, with a poor prognosis once the disease enters metastasis.The efficacy of currently available treatment schemes for advanced melanomas is low, expensive, and burdened by significant side-effects.Therefore, there is a need to develop new treatment options.Skin cells are able to activate vitamin D via classical and non-classical pathways.Vitamin D derivatives have anticancer properties which promote differentiation and inhibit proliferation.The role of systemic vitamin D in patients with melanoma is unclear as epidemiological studies are not definitive.In contrast, experimental data have clearly shown that vitamin D and its derivatives have anti-melanoma properties.Furthermore, molecular and clinicopathological studies have demonstrated a correlation between defects in vitamin D signaling and progression of melanoma and disease outcome.Therefore, adequate vitamin D signaling can play a role in the treatment of melanoma.Skin cells are able to activate vitamin D via classical and nonclassical metabolic pathways (1-9).Vitamin D derivatives have anticancer properties and promote differentiation and inhibit proliferation of various cells, including melanoma, the most aggressive and lethal type of skin cancer.In this review, we provide an overview on the endogenous synthesis and activation of vitamin D via classical and non-classical pathways.We also present the association of vitamin D and melanoma based on epidemiological, experimental and clinical evidence, showing that defects in vitamin D signaling correlate with progression of melanoma and disease outcome.Therefore, restoration of the adequate vitamin D signaling can play a role in melanoma therapy.