Plasma 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 and Bladder Cancer Risk According to Tumor Stage and FGFR3 Status: A Mechanism- Based Epidemiological Study

Previous evidence suggests that 25-hydroxyvitamin D^sub 3^ [25(OH)D^sub 3^] protects against several cancers. However, little is known regarding urothelial bladder cancer (UBC). Amaral et al analyzed the association between plasma 25(OH)D^sub 3^ and overall risk of UBC, as well as according to stage and FGFR3 molecular subphenotypes. Their findings support a role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of UBC and show that 25(OH)D^sub 3^ levels are associated with FGFR3 expression in the tumor. Because FGFR3 mutation and overexpression are markers of better outcome, our findings suggest that individuals with low levels of plasma 25(OH)D^sub 3^ may be at high risk of more aggressive forms of UBC.