ABSTRACT
Based on both suggestive epidemiological data of a possible link between vitamin D and prostate cancer and on compelling preclinical evidence for antineoplastic activity of vitamin D receptor (VDR) ligands, considerable effort has been devoted to the development of VDR ligand-based therapy for prostate cancer. The combination of high-dose calcitriol, the naturally occurring ligand for the VDR, with docetaxel, a microtubule stabilizing cytotoxic agent, for the treatment of metastatic androgen-independent prostate cancer is entering Phase III testing after encouraging results from both single institution, and large multi-institutional Phase II clinical trials. Less attention has been devoted to the potential for VDR ligands in prostate cancer prevention.
