Abstract
BackgroundVitamin D, which influences cellular proliferation and breast tissue characteristics, has been inversely correlated with breast cancer risk. Dietary vitamin D intake has been associated with lower mammographic density (MD), a strong intermediate marker of breast cancer risk.FindingsWe examined the relationship between MD and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], an integrated measure of vitamin D status from dietary sources and sunlight exposure, in a multi-ethnic cohort of women undergoing screening mammography. We recruited women age 40–60 years without a history of breast cancer at the time of their routine screening mammogram, and conducted in-person interviews and collected blood specimens. We enrolled 195 women from 2007–2008, 120 gave blood, and 114 were evaluable, including 25% white, 41% African American, 18% African Caribbean, and 16% Hispanic. We digitized mammograms and calculated percent density, dense area, and non-dense area on cranial-caudal images. We measured serum 25(OH)D in batched, archived specimens. Median serum 25(OH)D was 22 ng/ml (range, 8–66 ng/ml). In univariable analysis, higher serum 25(OH)D was associated with white race, higher educational level, ever breast feeding, and blood draw during the summer. After adjusting for body mass index and other confounders, we found no association between serum 25(OH)D and different measures of MD. However, when stratified by season, 25(OH)D was inversely associated with dense area during July-December (p = 0.034).ConclusionsOverall, our findings suggest that circulating vitamin D, a potentially modifiable breast cancer risk factor, is not associated with MD; the seasonal effects we observed need to be replicated in larger cohorts.
Highlights
Vitamin D has a number of anti-tumor properties, including inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis and differentiation [1]
Overall, our findings suggest that circulating vitamin D, a potentially modifiable breast cancer risk factor, is not associated with mammographic density (MD); the seasonal effects we observed need to be replicated in larger cohorts
All participants completed in-person interviews providing information on demographics and breast cancer risk factors and consented to allow study investigators access to their mammograms; 120 (62%) participants provided a blood sample and 114 were evaluable for serum 25(OH)D measurements [5]
Summary
Vitamin D has a number of anti-tumor properties, including inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis and differentiation [1]. In observational studies of breast cancer and vitamin D status, women in the highest quantile of circulating vitamin D had a 45% reduced risk of breast cancer compared to those in the lowest quantile [2]. The effect of vitamin D on mammographic density (MD), one of the strongest predictors of breast cancer, remains unclear. Vitamin D, which influences cellular proliferation and breast tissue characteristics, has been inversely correlated with breast cancer risk. Dietary vitamin D intake has been associated with lower mammographic density (MD), a strong intermediate marker of breast cancer risk
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