Vitamin D and Breast Cancer (more)
Posted 10/12/2009
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There has recently been a lot of interest in Vit D levels in women who have breast cancer. Not surprisingly, it seems that many of us--like many people in the general population--have low levels of D. This matters because Vit D is necessary for bone health, and some of our treatments (specifically, the AIs) are related to diminished bone density.
Here is a quote from a recent presentation at ASCO's Breast Cancer Symposium in San Francisco:
Women with breast cancer should be given high doses of vitamin D because a majority of them are likely to have low levels of vitamin D, which could contribute to decreased bone mass and greater risk of fractures, according to scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
In a study of 166 women undergoing treatment for breast cancer, nearly 70 percent had low levels ofvitamin D in their blood, according to a study being presented Thursday, Oct. 8, at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Breast Cancer Symposium in San Francisco. The analysis showed women with latestage disease and non-Caucasian women had even lower levels.
"Vitamin D is essential to maintaining bone health, and women with breast cancer have accelerated bone loss due to the nature of hormone therapy and chemotherapy. It's important for women and their doctors to work together to boost their vitamin D intake," said Luke Peppone, Ph.D., research assistant professor of Radiation Oncology, at Rochester's James P. Wilmot Cancer Center.
If you want to read more:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/
091009090431.htm
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