Vitamin D in childhood cancer: a promising anticancer agent?

Children diagnosed and treated for cancer are vulnerable to Vitamin D deficiency depending on many factors. The Vitamin D status in children with cancer has been mostly regarded as a contributory factor for skeletal pathologies so far. However, the calcitriol was found to promote cell differentiation, inhibit malignant proliferation, and exhibit antiinflammatory, proapoptotic and antiangiogenic properties. In addition to this, numerous epidemiological studies link Vitamin D and cancer and indicate to possible role of Vitamin D in cancer pathogenesis and progression. This article aims to provide an overview of the possible role of Vitamin D deficiency in childhood cancer in terms of prevention and treatment.

McCune-Albright syndrome mimicking malignancy: an endocrine disease from oncologist's perspective.

Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is categorized as either monostotic or polyostotic and may occur as a component of McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS). Imaging findings can mimic neoplastic diseases. We present a case of MAS initially suspected to have neoplastic disease. A 9-year-old girl was admitted to pediatric emergency with ataxia. Upon hospitalization, an extradural mass was seen on cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the bone survey showed lytic lesions in the long bones. The patient was referred to the pediatric oncology department with a presumptive diagnosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis or metastatic tumor. Further investigations demonstrated that the patient had MAS and coexisting postinfectious cerebellitis. The findings in this patient demonstrate that the radiographic findings and the clinical presentation of FD and MAS may be similar to those of malignant diseases.