Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level is unreliable as a risk factor and prognostic marker in papillary thyroid cancer

BACKGROUND: Low levels of vitamin D and altered local vitamin D metabolism have been associated with the prevalence and aggressiveness of several cancers. However, the effect of vitamin D on papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of preoperative serum vitamin D levels and local vitamin D metabolism on the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of PTC. METHODS: In total, 1,578 patients with PTC and 128 patients with benign thyroid diseases were included. Clinical and pathologic data were analyzed to evaluate the role of vitamin D as a risk factor and prognostic marker in PTC. Moreover, a tissue microarray was used to investigate the role of local vitamin D metabolism in PTC progression. RESULTS: Participants with PTC were younger compared to those with benign disease. No significant differences in 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were observed between benign and malignant cases. Among patients with PTC, analyses of prognostic features revealed that decreased 25(OH)D levels were not overtly associated with poor prognosis in PTC. Additionally, local vitamin D metabolism was not associated with the aggressiveness of PTC. CONCLUSIONS: Serum 25(OH)D determination may not contribute to risk assessment workup of thyroid nodules. Moreover, decreased preoperative serum vitamin D and local vitamin D metabolism were not associated with poor prognosis of PTC.