The Association Between Breast Cancer Prognostic Indicators and Serum 25-OH Vitamin D Levels

Luke J. Peppone PhD, MPH, Aaron S. Rickles MD, Michelle C. Janelsins PhD, Michael R. Insalaco AS, Kristin A. Skinner MD
Breast Oncology
Volume 19, Issue 8 / August , 2012

View full article HTML | View full article PDF | Download Citation

Abstract

Background

Studies show that women with low vitamin D levels have an increased risk of breast cancer (BC) incidence and mortality, but there is a lack of research examining vitamin D levels and prognostic variables in BC patients. The aim of this study is to examine 25-OH vitamin D levels between BC cases and controls and by prognostic indicators among BC cases.

Methods

25-OH vitamin D levels were collected from 194 women who underwent BC surgery and 194 cancer-free (CF) controls at the University of Rochester between January 2009 and October 2010. Mean 25-OH vitamin D levels and odds ratios (OR) were calculated by case/control status for the overall cohort and by prognostic indicators (invasiveness, ER status, triple-negative status, Oncotype DX score, molecular phenotype) for BC cases.

Results

BC cases had significantly lower 25-OH vitamin D levels than CF controls (BC: 32.7 ng/mL vs. CF: 37.4 ng/mL;P = .02). In case-series analyses, women with suboptimal 25-OH vitamin D concentrations (<32 ng/mL) had significantly higher odds of having ER− (OR = 2.59, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.08–6.23) and triple-negative cancer (OR = 3.15, 95% CI = 1.05–9.49) than those with optimal 25-OH D concentrations. Women with basal-like phenotype had lower 25-OH vitamin D levels than women luminal A phenotype (basal-like: 24.2 ng/mL vs. luminal A: 32.8 ng/mL; P = 0.04).

Conclusions

BC patients with a more aggressive molecular phenotype (basal-like) and worse prognostic indicators (ER− and triple-negative) had lower mean 25-OH vitamin D levels. Further research is needed to elucidate the biological relationship between vitamin D and BC progression.

Go to Issue Contents