BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhuanet)-- Researchers from three cancer centers discover that increased exposure to sunlight could reduce individual risk of prostate cancer. 

    

Researchers from three cancer centers discover that increased exposure to sunlight could reduce individual risk of prostate cancer. (Photo: yahoo.com)

Reporting in the June 15 issue of Cancer Research, researchers from the Northern California Cancer Center found that men who had high sun exposure had a 50% lower risk of prostate cancer than did men with low sun exposure. The risk was slashed by 65% for men with a certain genetic variation.

     Researchers say prostate cancer may be related to Vitamin-D deficiency, a vitamin the body makes from sunlight. Men with little sun exposure are likely to have low levels of vitamin D, which may be the link to prostate cancer.
 
     "We believe that sunlight helps to reduce the risk of prostate cancer because the body manufactures the active form of vitamin D from exposure to sunlight." research team leader Esther John, of the Northern California Cancer Center, said in a statement. 

    Previous studies have shown that the prostate uses vitamin D to promote the normal growth of prostate cells and to slow the spread of prostate cancer cells to other areas of the body.

    The researchers stressed that sunlight is not the only source of vitamin D, and that men should not try to reduce their risk of prostate cancer by sunbathing because that increases the risk of sun-induced skin cancer. Enditem

    (Agencies)