By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, August 19, 2009, abstracted from “Prognostic Effects of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Early Breast Cancer” in the August 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology

Breast cancer is the second biggest cancer killer of American women after lung cancer, responsible for the deaths of an estimated 40,580 women in 2004 (1) and contributing significantly to cancer's overall cost to society of $219 billion per year (2). Ways to help with breast cell health include resveratrol (3), kelp (4), vitamin E (5), black cohosh (6), soy (7), curcumin (8), folic acid (9), lignans (studies in 2006 (10) and 2007 (11)), green tea (12), and fiber (13).

Now a new study (14) has found that a vitamin D deficiency may play a role in breast cancer, specifically cancer recurrence and patient survival. In the study, researchers measured the vitamin D blood levels of 512 women with an average age of 50 and an early breast cancer diagnosis. They found that the average blood vitamin D level was 58.1 nanomoles/Liter, with 37.5% of women classified as “deficient” (< 50 nmol/L), 38.5% of women classified as “insufficient” (50 to 72 nmol/L), and 24% classified as “sufficient” (> 72 nmol/L).

After following up with the women over the course of nearly 12 years, they found that women classified as deficient (< 50 nmol/L) in vitamin D levels had a 94% increased risk of breast cancer recurrence and a 73% increased risk of death from breast cancer, compared to women with sufficient levels.

For the researchers, “Vitamin D deficiency may be associated with poor outcomes in breast cancer. The National Academy of Sciences places the upper limit of vitamin D supplementation per day to be 2,000 IU per day (15) but research has shown that this will produce vitamin D blood levels of 40-60 ng/L (16). Because 4,000 IU per day of vitamin D has been shown to be safe (17), it is perhaps time to increase overall vitamin D recommendations.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at mailto:PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.CompleteChiropracticHealthcare.com

Reference:

1. "2004/2005 Fact Sheet Cancer Registries: The Foundation for Cancer Prevention and Control" posted on the CDC website www.cdc.gov/cancer/npcr
2. “Costs of Cancer” posted on www.cancer.org/docroot/MIT/content/MIT_3_2X_Costs_of_Cancer.asp
3. Tang FY. Resveratrol inhibits heregulin-â1-mediated matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and cell invasion in human breast cancer cells. Jou Nutr Biochem 2007. In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 24 July 2007
4. Skibola CF. Brown kelp modulates endocrine hormones in female sprague-dawley rats and in human luteinized granulosa cells. J Nutr 2005; 135(2): 296-300
5. Dorigochoo T. Vitamin supplement use and risk for breast cancer: the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study. Breast Cancer Res Treatment 2007. Printed online DOI 10.1007/s10549-007-9772-8
6. Einbond LS. Growth inhibitory activity of extracts and compounds from Cimicifuga species on human breast cancer cells. Phytomedicine 2007. In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 5 November 2007
7. Lampe JW. Plasma Isoflavones and Fibrocystic Breast Conditions and Breast Cancer Among Women in Shanghai, China. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007 16: 2579-2586 doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-07-0368
8. Rattanamongkolgul, S., K. Muir, et al. (2002). "Diet, energy intake and breast cancer risk in an Asian country." IARC Sci Publ 156: 543-5
9. Maruti SS. Folate and one-carbon metabolism nutrients from supplements and diet in relation to breast cancer risk Am J Clin Nutr 2009 89: 624-633. First published online February 1, 2009; doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.26568
10. Piller R. Plasma enterolactone and genistein and the risk of premenopausal breast cancer. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2006 Jun;15(3):225-32
11. Touillaud MS. Dietary Lignan Intake and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk by Estrogen and Progesterone Receptor Status. J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 2007 99: 475-486; doi:10.1093/jnci/djk096
12. Shrubsole M. Drinking Green Tea Modestly Reduces Breast Cancer Risk J. Nutr. 2009 139: 310-316.
13. Park Y. Dietary fiber intake and risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women: the National Institutes of Health–AARP Diet and Health Study. Published July 22, 2009; doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27758
14. Prognostic Effects of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Early Breast Cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 27, No 23 (August 10), 2009: pp. 3757-3763
15. National Academy of Sciences–Institute of Medicine–Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary reference intakes for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin D, and fluorideWashington (DC): National Academy Press; 1997.
16. Garland FC. Vitamin D for Cancer Prevention: Global Perspective. Ann Epidemiol 2009;19:468–483.
17. Basile LA, Taylor SN, Wagner CL, Horst RL, Hollis BW. The effect of high-dose vitamin D supplementation on serum vitamin D levels and milk calcium concentration in lactating women and their infants. Breastfeed Med. 2006;1:27–35