Breast cancer in blacks – 5X increased risk of triple negative if low vitamin D

Created November 2017

Association of Vitamin D3 Level with Breast Cancer Risk and Prognosis in African-American and Hispanic Women

Cancers 2017, 9(10), 144; doi:10.3390/cancers9100144

Yanyuan Wu 1,2, Marianna Sarkissyan 1, Sheilah Clayton 1, Rowan Chlebowski 2,3 and Jaydutt V. Vadgama 1,2,*

Items in both categories Breast Cancer and Dark Skin are listed here: {category} 1. Overview Breast Cancer and Vitamin D contains the following:{include}---* Genes may account for some of AA Breast Cancer – April 2012* More US deaths due to cancer than heart if dark skinned – Sept 2012* Triple-negative breast cancer is 3X more frequent if less than 32 ng of vitamin D – March 2012* Blacks may not need as much Vitamin D (for their bones

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Background: This study investigated the association of vitamin D3 levels with breast cancer risk and progression in African-Americans and Hispanics. Methods: A total of 237 African-American (Cases = 119, Control = 118) and 423 Hispanic women (Cases = 124, Control = 299) were recruited in the study. Blood samples were collected at the time of breast cancer screening and prior to cancer treatment for 4 weeks on average for the cases. The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D3) was measured at a Quest-Diagnostics facility.

Results: The results showed that 69.2% of African-Americans and 37.8% of Hispanics had 25(OH)D3 levels below 20 ng/mL. The 25(OH)D3 level below 20 ng/mL was significantly associated with breast cancer in both African-Americans (OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.3–4.8) and Hispanics (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1–3.0). However, the predicted probabilities of breast cancer in African-Americans were significantly higher than in Hispanics (p < 0.001).

The 25(OH)D3 below 20 ng/mL was significantly associated with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) in African-Americans (OR = 5.4 , p = 0.02, 95% CI = 1.4–15), but not in Hispanics in our cohort of participants. Levels of 25(OH)D3 below 26 ng/mL predicts a decrease in disease-free survival, but it was not an independent predictor.

Conclusions: Our data shows an association between 25(OH)D3 levels and the risk of breast cancer. Further studies on the relationship between 25(OH)D3 level and breast cancer risk are warranted.

Tags: Breast Cancer Darker Skin Women