Vitamin D and Mammographic Findings

Introduction: Pleiotropic immune-modulatory and anti-proliferative effects of vitamin D and hopes to stop cancerogenesis have led to an increased interest in possible reduction of breast cancer with higher vitamin D levels. Mammographic density is an established risk factor for breast cancer risk, and its association with serum vitamin D is complex, as recent studies have shown. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1103 participants were recruited in the breast diagnostic unit of the Klinikum rechts der Isar, TU Munich. A standardised questionnaire and blood samples for 25-OH-vitamin D were taken on the day of mammography. Histologic results of biopsies in suspicious mammographies were documented. Results: In the 1090 data-sets analysed, vitamin D-deficiency was common among women under 40. Highest vitamin D values were observed in participants aged 6069 years, but average values for all age cohorts were below 20ng/ml of vitaminD. 15.6% of all participants had very low vitamin D values (<10ng/ml), 51.3% were vitamin D-deficient (1019ng/ml) and only 5.7% were above 30ng/ml, i.e. showed sufficient vitamin D. Patients with malignant results had vitamin D<10ng/ml more often (16.9%; p=0.61), and only 3.4% in this group had sufficient vitamin D supply (>30ng/ml). There were no significant differences in vitamin D-levels between density groups according to the American College of Radiology (ACR) criteria. Conclusion: Vitamin D values were lower than in comparable US women. Up to now, there is no direct clinical evidence for a relationship between the risk for breast cancer and a specific vitamin D value.