Calcium signalling is involved in various processes of tumour formation. Calcium signalling regulates cell cycles, enables the migration of cancer cells and drives the phosphorylation of contractile proteins. Some studies have looked at the possible effects of calcium-permeable ion channels and calcium pumps on disease.
According to 15 epidemiological studies with 493,415 participants that investigated the effect of calcium on ovarian cancer, 13 studies looked at calcium intake from the diet, 4 studies at calcium intake from milk and dairy products, and 7 studies at calcium intake from diet and supplements. Calcium intake was associated with a lower risk of ovarian cancer, and calcium from food combined with supplements was associated with an even lower risk.
Although there are studies showing that hypercalcaemia increases the progression of stomach and colon tumours, there are also studies suggesting that calcium reduces the risk of developing many types of cancer. According to a review investigating the effect on colorectal cancer, an ideal level of calcium inside the cell is associated with less cancer development, cell migration and metastasis, while a rise above the normal level inside the cell can cause depolarisation, apoptosis and cell death. According to this result, exceeding the ideal calcium intake should be avoided, along with the idea that the more you take, the more effective it is at lowering cancer risk.
In 10 studies with 10,500 participants and an average duration of 3.9 years, carried out to observe the effect of calcium supplements on types of cancer, calcium supplements were not found to affect the risk of colorectal and breast cancer, and no effect on cancer-related deaths was seen. A noticeable reduction was found for prostate cancer.
Sources: 1) Bong AHL, Monteith GR. Calcium signaling and the therapeutic targeting of cancer cells. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res. 2018 Nov;1865(11 Pt B):1786-1794. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2018.05.015. Epub 2018 May 26. PMID: 29842892. 2) Song X, Li Z, Ji X, Zhang D. Calcium Intake and the Risk of Ovarian Cancer: A Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2017 Jun 30;9(7):679. doi: 10.3390/nu9070679. PMID: 28665326; PMCID: PMC5537794. 3) Wang W, Yu S, Huang S, Deng R, Ding Y, Wu Y, Li X, Wang A, Wang S, Chen W, Lu Y. A Complex Role for Calcium Signaling in Colorectal Cancer Development and Progression. Mol Cancer Res. 2019 Nov;17(11):2145-2153. doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-19-0429. Epub 2019 Jul 31. PMID: 31366605. 4) Bristow SM, Bolland MJ, MacLennan GS, Avenell A, Grey A, Gamble GD, Reid IR. Calcium supplements and cancer risk: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Br J Nutr. 2013 Oct;110(8):1384-93. doi: 10.1017/S0007114513001050. Epub 2013 Apr 19. PMID: 23601861.
August 19, 2020
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