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Colon cancer patients who have high levels of vitamin D in their blood have a reduced risk of death compared to patients who are vitamin D deficient, a new study says.

Researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed blood samples from 304 patients, and ranked vitamin D levels by quartiles (the top 25 per cent, the next lowest 25 per cent, and so on). Patients in the bottom quartile were considered to be vitamin D deficient...

The original article can be found at: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080618/vitaminD_cancer_080618/20080619?hub=Health&s_name=

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This article provides colon cancer reduction risk in relative terms without providing the colon cancer risk percentage (baseline) for an average person. The report does not mention other baseline characteristics of patients in the high and low quartile groups that may impact/affect the study findings. Also, the article did not include the details of the study design and information on how the 304 patients were chosen.

Although the story correctly points out that these are preliminary findings, alternative treatments options and treatment cost information are not provided to the readers.

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