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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study adds to a growing body of research that lack of vitamin D is connected to the progression of breast cancer. The latest research reveals women with advanced stages of breast cancer have much lower levels of vitamin D than women with early stages of the disease.
Previous studies have shown vitamin D stops cancer cells from dividing and enhances cancer cell death. Humans get vitamin D by being in the sunlight or from eating eggs or fatty fish. The body produces its own vitamin D in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight.
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Why do women with advanced breast cancer have lower vitamin D levels? Researchers say the exact reasons are not clear. They are not sure if it's a consequence or cause of the cancer, but they feel the results of this study indicate lower levels of vitamin D may help the disease advance.
Carlo Palmieri, M.D., Ph.D., from the department of cancer medicine at Imperial College London and lead author of the paper says,"This report, while being an observational study, clearly shows that circulating vitamin D levels are lower in advanced breast cancer as compared to early breast cancer. It lends support to the idea that vitamin D has a role in the progression of breast cancer".
Further research needs to be done to understand the role of vitamin D at a molecular level and also to monitor vitamin D levels in breast cancer patients to determine if that may play a role as a treatment option.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Pathology, 2006;0:1-3
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