Women who have higher levels of vitamin D when they're diagnosed with breast cancer appear to have smaller tumors according to research presented this week at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.Lower vitamin D levels were correlated with much bigger tumors and patients with lower vitamin D levels at diagnosis tended to have a higher risk of breast-cancer related death.
For patients who were clearly vitamin D deficient -- having a level below 30 ng/mL at diagnosis -- there was a significant increase in the risk of relapse after three years.
The anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin D are the likely mediator of the relationship between higher levels and smaller tumor size, though more research is needed to clarify the exact mechanisms.
Hatse S, et al "Vitamin D status in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients inversely correlates with tumor size and moderately correlates with outcome" SABCS 2011; Abstract P5-05-01.
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