Can Vitamin Deficiency be a Sign of Cancer? Causes, Symptoms & Prevention

Vitamins play a crucial role in regulating metabolism, cell maturation and differentiation and also expressing gene information. Consequently, inadequate intake of vitamins can lead to deficiency diseases, including cancers.

Read on to know more about the various cancer symptoms due to vitamin deficiency!

There are several essential vitamins without which the human body can develop certain types of cancers. Several studies have tried to link vitamin D to different types of cancers. Let’s discuss this briefly!

To establish the link between vitamin D and cancer in one study, researchers collected blood samples from around 160 men and women who have cancers.

This research primarily focused on measuring the vitamin D level of those selected individuals. The result showed that among the 160 people, 42% had insufficient vitamin D, and 32% had a significant deficit of vitamin D. Also, the lowest levels of this vitamin had adversely led to advanced stages of cancer.

Apart from vitamin D, there are other vitamins, like B9, B6, and B12 that can lead to cancer.

It is clear from the above discussion that low vitamin causes cancer. Now, let’s move on to the different types of cancer caused by vitamin deficiency and the usage of vitamins to treat cancer.

As stated earlier, vitamin deficiency can lead to several types of cancer. As per a research, the common diagnoses were:

• Prostate cancer,
• Breast cancer,
• Lung cancer,
• Colorectal cancer,
• Thyroid cancer.

Deficiency of other vitamins can cause cancer of the following types,

• Deficiency of Folate (B9) can lead to colorectum, pancreas, breast and prostate cancer.  
• Inadequate B6 and B12 in the human body can result in lung cancer.

Till now, we have understood that vitamin deficiency can be a sign of cancer. So, now, let’s briefly discuss the symptoms of cancers caused by certain vitamin deficiencies.

• Frequent urination
• Blood in the urine
• Blood in the semen
• Pain or burning sensation during urinating
• Erectile dysfunction
• Trouble while sitting due to enlarged prostate
• Weight loss
• Bone pain
• Interrupted urine flow

The symptoms of breast cancer depend on the type. Discussed below are the different types of cancers along with their symptoms.

1. Signs of Ductal Carcinoma

• Swelling
• Flat or inverted nipples

2. Signs of Metastatic Breast Cancer

• Headache
• Bone pain
• Belly swelling
• Trouble breathing
• Double vision
• Nausea

3. Signs of Invasive Breast Cancer

• One breast looking different from the other
• Lumps in the breast or armpit
• Rash
• Swelling in breast
• Hard lymph nodes that might be stuck together in the skin
• Pain in a specific area

4. Signs of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

• Breast pain or redness
• Lump in the breast
• Inverted nipple which has a discharge

5. Signs of Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC)

• Unusual nipple discharge
• Leathery skin

• Swelling in the neck
• Pain in the neck and throat
• Changes in one’s voice, including increased hoarseness
• Difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty breathing
• Constant cough (without the symptoms of cold)
• Swollen lymph nodes

Mentioned below are the colorectal cancer symptoms due to vitamin deficiency.

• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Blood in the stool
• Cramping or abdominal pain
• Bleeding from the rectum
• Weakness and fatigue
• Unusual weight loss

• Jaundice and related symptoms
• Liver enlargement
• Nausea and vomiting
• Back pain
• Bloating
• Blood clots

• Cough (that stays for more than 2 or 3 weeks)
• Coughing up blood or rust-coloured spectrum
• Hoarseness
• Pain while breathing or coughing
• Chest infections
• Loss of energy
• Breathlessness

The role of vitamins in cancer treatment is significant. Among all the vitamins, vitamin D is considered the most effective supplement for cancer treatment and prevention. Also, vitamin B12, along with B9 and B6, can reduce the risk of several cancers.

This piece discussed the various types of cancer symptoms due to vitamin deficiency and the prevention methods. One must be careful of the symptoms and consult doctors immediately if they notice any of the signs discussed here. However, individuals can avoid such diseases by taking vitamin-rich foods and following a healthy diet.