Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, with nearly 2.6 million new cases diagnosed in 2020. Robust evidence demonstrates that nutritional factors may mediate the risk of many types of cancer. Findings presented at the annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology suggest that vitamin D status influences outcomes among breast cancer survivors.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin stored in the liver and fatty tissues. It plays key roles in several physiological processes. Research suggests that vitamin D exerts anti-cancer properties through its effects on the regulation of cell growth.
The current study involved nearly 4,000 women with breast cancer who were enrolled in the Pathways Study, an ongoing investigation of breast cancer survivorship. The study presenters measured vitamin D concentrations (measured in nanograms per milliliter, ng/ml) in blood samples collected from the women at the time of diagnosis. They categorized the women’s status as deficient (< 20 ng/ml), insufficient (20 to < 30 ng/ml), or sufficient (≥30 ng/ml) and then conducted a statistical analysis to determine if vitamin D status was related to the women’s survival. They also looked at factors that could influence vitamin D status, such as genetic variants, body mass index, race/ethnicity, and supplemental vitamin D intake.
They found that women categorized as having sufficient vitamin D concentrations had better survival outcomes than women categorized as deficient. Supplemental vitamin D intake, body mass index, and race/ethnicity had the greatest influence on vitamin D concentrations, and genetic variants had only a minor influence. Black women had the lowest vitamin D concentrations among the cohort, possibly contributing to their poorer outcomes following breast cancer diagnosis.
Although these findings have not been peer-reviewed, they suggest that vitamin D status influences outcomes among breast cancer survivors and underscore the need for further research to assess the roles that vitamin D plays in cancer.
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