By David Liu, Ph.D.

Friday July 29, 2011 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study showed high serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D in breast cancer patients measured before chemotherapy were associated with higher odds of survival.

The study found lower serum levels of 25(OH)D were linearly correlated with higher risk of death, that is, a 10 nmol/L decrement was linked to an 8 percent increase in the risk of death.

Similarly, lower levels of vitamin D was linked with higher risk of distant recurrence with a 10 nmol/L decrement associated with a 14 percent increase in the risk.

Compared to those with their vitamin D levels in the highest tertile (55 nmol/L), breast cancer patients whose vitamin D was in the lowest tertile (35 nmol/L) were 55 percent less likely to have overall-survival and 109 percent less likely to have distant disease-free survival.

The study involved 1,295 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 74 years who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2002 and 2005. On average, participants were followed up for 5.8 years.

The association was only valid for blood samples taken before chemotherapy, but not for those measured after the start of chemotherapy.

The study was conducted by Alina Vrieling of German Cancer Research Center in Germany and colleague and published in the July 2011 issue of Breast Cancer research.

The researchers concluded "lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations may be associated with poorer overall survival and distant disease-free survival in postmenopausal breast cancer patients."

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