As determined by a study conducted on a small cohort of PDAC patients, an overall upregulation of both vitamin D receptors (VDRs) and the vitamin D degrading enzyme 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin-D3 24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1) has been described in tumor regions, with respect to adjacent non-tumorous tissues. Here, VDR is linked to neoplasm.