Low Vitamin D: New Marker for Breast Cancer?

Helen Holmes February 07, 2013

Women, even those who are considered healthy, but have low levels of vitamin D, are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer – new research found.

A growing body of research now suggests the potential role of vitamin D in preventing breast cancer – a deadly disease that affects a large number of women and some men all over the world.

Just recently, in a study involving 1,200 healthy women, researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that low levels of this sunshine vitamin can predict a person’s risk of developing breast cancer in the upcoming months. They observed that women who lack vitamin D within three months before being diagnosed of cancer have elevated risk of the disease. In fact, they were three times more likely to have breast cancer.

Cedric Garland, professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at UC San Diego, and the lead researcher said that even though the mechanism by which vitamin D can help prevent breast cancer is not yet understood, their study suggests that low levels of vitamin D in the blood is strongest late in the development of breast cancer.

In their report, the team cited one study that also linked low serum levels of vitamin D with a higher risk of premenopausal breast cancer. Garland and his team suggest the possibility that there’s a relevant window of time critical to the growth of the malignant tumour in about three months when low levels of the vitamin might be the cause of a woman’s breast cancer.

"Based on these data, further investigation of the role of vitamin D in reducing incidence of premenopausal breast cancer, particularly during the late phases of its development, is warranted," Prof Garland said in his media statement.

Their report was published in the journal Cancer Causes and Control.

Source of this article:

Low vitamin D levels linked to high risk of breast cancer in young women