Prevalence and Relevance of Vitamin D Deficiency in Newly Diagnosed Breast Cancer Patients: A Pilot Study

(1) Background: Vitamin D plays an important role in many types of cancer. It was the aim of this study to analyze serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, and the association with prognostic and lifestyle factors. (2) Methods: 110 non-metastatic breast c...

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Main Authors: Cosima Zemlin, Laura Altmayer, Caroline Stuhlert, Julia Theresa Schleicher, Carolin Wörmann, Marina Lang, Laura-Sophie Scherer, Ida Clara Thul, Lisanne Sophie Spenner, Jana Alisa Simon, Alina Wind, Elisabeth Kaiser, Regine Weber, Sybelle Goedicke-Fritz, Gudrun Wagenpfeil, Michael Zemlin, Erich-Franz Solomayer, Jörg Reichrath, Carolin Müller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-03-01
Series:Nutrients
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/6/1450
Description
Summary:(1) Background: Vitamin D plays an important role in many types of cancer. It was the aim of this study to analyze serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, and the association with prognostic and lifestyle factors. (2) Methods: 110 non-metastatic breast cancer patients were included in the prospective observational “BEGYN” study at Saarland University Medical Center between September 2019 and January 2021. At the initiation visit, serum 25(OH)D levels were measured. Clinicopathological data on prognosis, nutrition, and lifestyle were extracted from data files and obtained using a questionnaire. (3) Results: Median serum 25(OH)D in breast cancer patients was 24 ng/mL (range 5–65 ng/mL), with 64.8% of patients being vitamin D deficient. 25(OH)D was higher among patients that reported the use of vitamin D supplements (43 ng/mL versus 22 ng/mL; <i>p</i> < 0.001), and in summer compared to other seasons (<i>p</i> = 0.03). Patients with moderate vitamin D deficiency were less likely to have triple negative breast cancer (<i>p</i> = 0.047). (4) Conclusions: Routinely measured vitamin D deficiency is common in breast cancer patients and needs to be detected and treated. However, our results do not support the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency may be a main prognostic factor for breast cancer.
ISSN:2072-6643