The Double Edged Sword of the Cancerous Sun

Despite what the title might suggest, this is actually another article on vitamin D and not the name of the latest fantasy novel.

That it to say that sun exposure is indeed a double edged sword with cancer cutting sharpness on both ends.

Too little and you may have to battle the Charybdis of colorectal cancer, too much and you may face the Scylla of skin cancer.

The good news is it’s not simply a case of having to choose between the lesser of two evils. If you choose wisely, it can be more akin to being goldilocks and having to select the right porridge. In that case, we better have a look at what’s on the dining room table …

The porridge that was too cold — Colorectal cancer

This option is about is bad as it sounds and that is to say it’s terrible.

Not only is it terrible, but it is also one of the most common types of cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths.

Suffice to say, the porridge that was too cold is in desperate need of heating up and we should certainly be doing everything we can to combat the issue.

At this point you might be wondering what any of that has to do with the sun.

Well enough sun exposure can allow your body to produce vitamin D and ward off deficiency. That’s important in this case as studies on the incidence of colorectal cancer have found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased incidence of colorectal cancer, and a decreased chance of survival in colorectal cancer patients. Now here’s where I want to stress the fact I’ve said “increased incidence” and “decreased chance”, and not panacea or cure! Good levels of vitamin D will in no way ensure that you’ll never get colorectal cancer or guarantee that you’ll survive if you are diagnosed, but there is good evidence to suggest that it can help.

The porridge that was too hot — Skin cancer

Fortunately or more accurately unfortunately, you are likely already familiar with the association between excess sun exposure and melanoma skin cancer. I won’t go into too much detail now, but would just make the point that you shouldn’t go and over react to the threat of colorectal cancer and end up with a blistering sun burn!

The porridge that was just right?

I’m terribly sorry but balancing the risks of colorectal and skin cancers is not as simple as picking up the right spoon.

I can say that you can cover both bases by getting your vitamin D levels checked regularly and always following sun safe practices when going outdoors.