"Vitamin D supplements may slow or prevent lowgrade prostate cancer from progressing a small new study suggests.    Vitamin D decreases inflammation in tissues and inflammation is a driver of cancer explained Bruce Hollis the studys lead researcher and a professor of pediatrics biochemistry and molecular biology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.    For the study researchers randomly assigned  men who elected to have their prostate removed to receive either  international units IU of vitamin D or an inactive placebo daily for  days before their operation.    When the prostate gland was examined after their surgery researchers found that many who received vitamin D had improvements in their prostate tumors while the tumors in the placebo group remained the same or got worse.    In greater than  percent of those taking it vitamin D actually made the cancer better said Hollis.    Hollis reported that in some cases the tumor shrank and in others the cancer went away. However the study was small and results from a larger trial arent expected for several years he added.    Doctors often recommend a watch and wait period for men with lowgrade or less aggressive prostate tumors. But many patients and their families arent comfortable waiting and opt to have surgery before its deemed medically necessary. These findings suggest that taking vitamin D might help reduce the need for such radical treatment.    But Dr. Anthony DAmico chief of radiation oncology at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston said that this study was too small to reach any definitive conclusion about the value of vitamin D in fighting prostate cancer.    Its premature to make any conclusions he said. The findings also need to be replicated in a much larger number of patients DAmico said.    DAmico stressed that men should not start taking vitamin D supplements in hopes of slowing or curing prostate cancer.    Vitamin D known as the sunshine vitamin is produced by the body when its exposed to sun. Its also found in fortified dairy products and fatty fish.    The study results were scheduled for presentation Monday at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Denver. Data and conclusions presented at meetings are usually considered preliminary until published in a peerreviewed medical journal.    More information  For more about prostate cancer visit the American Cancer Society.  SOURCES Bruce Hollis Ph.D. professor pediatrics biochemistry and molecular biology Medical University of South Carolina Charleston S.C. Anthony DAmico M.D. Ph.D. chief radiation oncology Brigham and Womens Hospital Boston March   presentation American Chemical Society meeting Denver  Last Updated Mar"