Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk for breast cancer. A new study in 2016 in JAMA Oncology suggests that high levels of circulating vitamin D may help better prognosis of breast cancer treatment.
The study of 1666 breast cancer patients shows that participants with higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations measured at the time of diagnosis had a better prognosis like overall survival, compared to those with lower vitamin D concentrations.
Those with higher serum levels of vitamin D were at reduced risk for death from all causes after adjustment for other factors, particularly in premenopausal women.
Specifically, compared to those in the lowest tertile of serum vitamin D, those in the highest tertile were 28% less likely to die during the follow-up period.
Among premenopausal women, the reduction in the risk from all-cause death was even more significant in those with higher levels of serum vitamin D. The reduction in the risk of death from breast cancer was 55%.
Why could vitamin D help fight breast cancer? One possibility is that some cases of breast cancer may have something to do with certain bacteria. A study conducted by researchers from Western University in Ontario Canada found that breast cancer patients tend to have significantly higher levels enterobacteriaceae, staphylococcus and bacillus bacteria in their diseased breasts. It remains unknown though whether these bacteria can directly or indirectly cause breast cancer.
One thing for sure is that vitamin D is an integral part of the human innate immunity against viral and bacterial infections. When vitamin D deficiency occurs, the immunity is compromised. The presence of certain bacteria may be simply a sign to indicate that the patient's immunity is compromised. It is believed that a person' immunity is associated with risk for cancers like breast cancer.
Some researchers recommend that cancer patients should use 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day to help fight cancer.
(David Liu)
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