Vitamin D levels and breast cancer characteristics: Findings in patients from Saudi Arabia

J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2016 Nov:164:106-109. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2015.11.003. Epub 2015 Nov 7.

Abstract

Inverse relationship between vitamin D status and risk of breast cancer has been previously reported in the literature. We conducted this study to determine the association between vitamin D levels and breast cancer characteristics in patients from Saudi Arabia. Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients (N=406) were recruited. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D] were measured at baseline. A significantly higher percentage of patients with triple negative status (18%) had 25 (OH) D levels ≤25nmol/L, compared to only 8% with 25 (OH) D levels >25nmol/L (p=0.009). Patients with 25 (OH) D levels ≤25nmol/L were 2.54 times more likely to present with triple negative status compared to those with 25 (OH) D levels >25nmol/L (p=0.02). Our findings suggest an association between low 25 (OH) D levels and increased risk of triple negative breast cancer.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Saudi Arabia; Triple negative; Vitamin D.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Body Mass Index
  • Breast Neoplasms / blood*
  • Breast Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Breast Neoplasms, Male / blood*
  • Breast Neoplasms, Male / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Prevalence
  • Prognosis
  • Saudi Arabia / epidemiology
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / blood*
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives
  • Vitamin D / blood*
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / complications

Substances

  • Vitamin D
  • 25-hydroxyvitamin D