High vitamin D levels may increase breast cancer

survival
Last updated: Friday 7 March 2014 at 8am PST

Past studies have claimed that vitamin D may reduce the

risk of heart disease, bone fractures and even depression.
Now, new research suggests that breast cancer patients
with high levels of the vitamin in their blood are more
likely to survive the disease than patients with low levels.
The researchers, led by Prof. Cedric F. Garland of the
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine,
recently published their findings in the journal Anticancer
Research.
Vitamin D - a fat-soluble vitamin - is important for regulating
the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in our bones.
The body's main source of the vitamin is from the sun, but
some foods - such as oily fish, eggs and fortified fat spreads contain the vitamin in very small amounts. Supplements are
also available to boost vitamin D intake.
Prof. Garland notes that his past studies revealed an
association between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk
of premenopausal breast cancer. From this, he decided to
look at the link between 25-hydroxyvitamin D - a metabolite
that the body produces from vitamin D ingestion - and survival
rates of breast cancer.
The research team conducted a statistical analysis of five
studies that looked at the link between 25-hydroxyvitamin D
and breast cancer.
The studies included a total of 4,443 patients with breast
cancer and were performed between 1966 and 2010. All
patients were followed for an average of 9 years.
Patients were divided into groups dependent on the levels of
25-hydroxyvitamin D in their blood. Women in the "high" group
had an average of 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) of 25hydroxyvitamin D in their blood, while women in the "low"
group had an average of 17 ng/ml in their blood.
The investigators note that the average blood level of 25hydroxyvitamin D for breast cancer patients in the US is 17
ng/ml.

High levels of vitamin D 'may halve

breast cancer fatality'
The team found that women who had high levels of 25hydroxyvitamin D in their blood had around a 50% lower
fatality rate, compared with women who had low levels of
25-hydroxyvitamin D in their blood.
Explaining why he believes vitamin D decreases fatality rates
for breast cancer patients, Prof. Garland says that vitamin D
metabolites increase communication between cells by
activating a protein that halts aggressive cell division.
"As long as vitamin D receptors are present, tumor growth is
prevented and kept from expanding its blood supply," he adds.

Researchers have found that breast cancer patients with high

vitamin D levels in their blood have a 50% lower fatality rate,
compared with those who have low levels of the vitamin.

"Vitamin D receptors are not lost until a tumor

is very advanced. This is the reason for
better survival in patients whose vitamin D
blood levels are high."
But the researchers point out that these findings could be a
result of reverse causation. They explain that in more serious
breast cancer cases, it is possible that 25-hydroxyvitamin D
levels were reduced, therefore causing early death.
"If that were so, 25-hydroxyvitamin D could be a biomarker for
severity of cancer, rather than a factor that caused longer
survival," they add.
They say this possibility could be ruled out with further clinical
trials.

'No reason why people should not

increase vitamin D intake
immediately'
The National Institutes of Health recommend that adults up to
the age of 70 should have a vitamin D intake of 600 IU each
day, while those over 70 should have 800 IU each day.
Although Prof. Garland says further research is needed to
confirm the team's findings, he believes there is no reason why
people should not increase their vitamin D intake now, after
confirming with their health care provider that it is safe to do
so.
He refers to a study he conducted in 2011, which found that a
50 ng/ml level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the blood - a level that
can be reached with an intake of 4,000 international units (IU)
of vitamin D a day - reduces breast cancer risk by 50%.
The investigators say that based on their findings,
patients with the disease may benefit from having 25hydroxyvitamin D blood concentrations measured and
adjusted to within normal range (30-80 ng/ml).
Study co-author Prof. Heather Hofflich, of UC San Diego
School of Medicine, adds:

"The study has implications for including

vitamin D as an adjuvant to conventional
breast cancer therapy."

1.

Vitamin D: Breast Cancer Prevention & Treatment

2.

Study: Vitamin D Kills Cancer Cells - ABC News

Written by Honor Whiteman

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