Vitamin D 'Helps Ward Off Breast Cancer'

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Sunshine Vitamin 'Helps Ward Off Breast Cancer'

Daily Mail

10-18-06

WOMEN with high levels of vitamin D have better resistance to breast cancer, say researchers.

A British study has shown those with advanced breast cancer had lower levels of vitamin D in their bloodstream than those in the early stages of the disease.

Researchers at Imperial College London claim this is evidence that the vitamin, which principally comes from sunlight, may protect against cancer.

They are planning to investigate whether taking supplements to keep vitamin D levels high could fight the disease.

The study may also be used to support claims that women should ensure plentiful exposure to sunlight to reduce their risk of contracting breast cancer. This is controversial, however, because of the link between sunbathing and skin cancer, especially in fair- skinned people.

The study, published today in the Journal of Clinical Pathology, found that women with early stage disease had significantly higher levels of vitamin D than women in the advanced stages of the disease.

Dr Carlo Palmieri, from Imperial College London, who was lead author on the paper, said it was the first study comparing vitamin D levels in breast cancer patients.

He added: 'It adds to the weight of evidence that vitamin D is important for the development and the progression of breast cancer.

'We know from studies that adding vitamin D to cancer cells makes them change their behaviour and become slightly more normal. Their growth slows down.

'The next step would be to treat women newly diagnosed with breast cancer with vitamin D to see if it improves their outcome.' Experts believe vitamin D deficiency may cause thousands of cancer deaths every year.

The body makes most of its vitamin D from sunlight, though it is found in salmon, tuna and other oily fish, and is routinely added to milk. Diet, however, accounts for very little of the nutrient that actually makes it into the bloodstream.

Previous studies have suggested women living in sunnier climates have a lower risk of breast cancer, and those exposed to high levels of sunlight as teenagers are less at risk.

An analysis of more than a million UK cancer patients found those diagnosed in summer and autumn lived longer, probably because their vitamin D levels are topped up by sun exposure.

The latest study involved 204 women with earlystage breast cancer and 75 with advanced breast cancer.

Dr Palmieri said more work needed to be done on why vitamin D levels were lower in women with advanced breast cancer and whether healthy women could prevent breast cancer by taking more vitamin D.
 

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