Cholecalciferol in Improving Survival in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Cancer With Vitamin D Insufficiency

This partially randomized clinical trial studies cholecalciferol in improving survival in patients with newly diagnosed cancer with vitamin D insufficiency. Vitamin D replacement may improve tumor response and survival and delay time to treatment in patients with cancer who are vitamin D insufficient.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine if vitamin D replacement in vitamin D insufficient patients with newly diagnosed untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) can improve event free survival at 12 months to be equivalent to that of a control population of vitamin D sufficient patients. (Study I) II. To assess the percentage of patients requiring treatment with conventional therapy at 36 in months in vitamin D insufficient patients with early stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) being managed with observation who undergo vitamin D replacement. (Study II) SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess the effect of vitamin D replacement in vitamin D insufficient patients with newly diagnosed untreated DLBCL on overall survival. (Study I) II. To assess the effect of vitamin D replacement in vitamin D insufficient patients with newly diagnosed untreated DLBCL on event free survival. (Study I) III. To assess the effect of vitamin D replacement in vitamin D insufficient patients with newly diagnosed untreated T cell lymphoma on event free and overall survival. (Study I) IV. To assess the effect of vitamin D replacement in vitamin D insufficient CLL patients on Bio-r response rate and overall response rate. (Study II) V. To assess time to treatment and overall survival in vitamin D insufficient CLL patients who received vitamin D replacement. (Study II) TERTIARY OBJECTIVES: I. To study immune effector cells (lymphocytes, monocytes), serum cytokines, and tumor cells from vitamin D deficient and sufficient patients to learn the effects of vitamin D on both tumor cells and the patient's immune system. (Study I-II) OUTLINE: Vitamin D sufficient patients receive no intervention. Vitamin D insufficient patients receive cholecalciferol orally (PO) once weekly for 12 weeks and then once monthly for a total of 36 months. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up for 2 years.