Saturday Aug 2, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Some scientists have estimated that 70% cases of breast cancer can be prevented if the patients have maintained sufficient concentrations of vitamin D in their blood.  And numerous studies have suggested that vitamin D can prevent breast cancer or reduce the risk of breast cancer.

A case-control study recently published in Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention provided more evidence to suggest that vitamin D may prevent breast cancer.  It is a suggestion only because the study is not a trial and a causal relationship could not be established.

The study showed that Iranian women with full body coverage that can completely shield sunlight were 10 times as likely as those who did not have full body coverage to develop breast cancer.

Sunlight exposure is the most important "source" of vitamin D.  Vitamin D is also found in eggs and the current study found Iranian women eating eggs weekly were at slightly lower risk for breast cancer, compared with those who did not eat eggs.

Taking vitamin D and calcium supplements was also found slightly protective against the development of breast cancer.

The study consisted of 60 premenopausal women with newly diagnosed breast cancer and 116 healthy women in Sabzevar and surrounding villages in Razavi, Khorasan, Iran.  Half of subjects showed very severe or severe vitamin D deficiency. (David Liu)

Reference: Bidgoli SA, Azarshab H.,   Role of vitamin D deficiency and lack of sun exposure in the incidence of premenopausal breast cancer: a case control study in Sabzevar, Iran.  Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2014;15(8):3391-6.