importance of vitamin d in breast cancer prevention

Lani · 06-08-2007, 02:37 PM

Study: Vitamin D reduces cancer risk [Associated Press]
OMAHA, Neb. - Building hope for one pill to prevent many cancers, vitamin D cut the risk of several types of cancer by 60 percent overall for older women in the most rigorous study yet.
The new research strengthens the case made by some specialists that vitamin D may be a powerful cancer preventive and most people should get more of it. Experts remain split, though, on how much to take.
"The findings ... are a breakthrough of great medical and public health importance," declared Cedric Garland, a prominent vitamin D researcher at the University of California-San Diego. "No other method to prevent cancer has been identified that has such a powerful impact."
While the most reliable yet, the study does have drawbacks. It was designed mainly to monitor how calcium and vitamin D improve bone health, and the number of cancer cases overall was small, showing up in just 50 patients.
"It's a very small study," said Dr. Edward Giovannucci, who researches nutrition and cancer at the Harvard School of Public Health. "I don't think it's the last word."
In either case, the study takes an important step in extending several decades of research that began with observations that cancer rates among similar groups of people were lower in southern latitudes than in northern ones. Scientists reasoned that had to do with more direct sunlight in southern regions.

ABSTRACT: Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk: results of a randomized trial [American Journal of Clinical Nutrition]
Background: Numerous observational studies have found supplemental calcium and vitamin D to be associated with reduced risk of common cancers. However, interventional studies to test this effect are lacking.
Objective: The purpose of this analysis was to determine the efficacy of calcium alone and calcium plus vitamin D in reducing incident cancer risk of all types.
Design: This was a 4-y, population-based, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. The primary outcome was fracture incidence, and the principal secondary outcome was cancer incidence. The subjects were 1179 community-dwelling women randomly selected from the population of healthy postmenopausal women aged >55 y in a 9-county rural area of Nebraska centered at latitude 41.4 deg N. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive 1400-1500 mg supplemental calcium/d alone (Ca-only), supplemental calcium plus 1100 IU vitamin D3/d (Ca + D), or placebo.
Results: When analyzed by intention to treat, cancer incidence was lower in the Ca + D women than in the placebo control subjects (P < 0.03). With the use of logistic regression, the unadjusted relative risks (RR) of incident cancer in the Ca + D and Ca-only groups were 0.402 (P = 0.01) and 0.532 (P = 0.06), respectively. When analysis was confined to cancers diagnosed after the first 12 mo, RR for the Ca + D group fell to 0.232 (CI: 0.09, 0.60; P < 0.005) but did not change significantly for the Ca-only group. In multiple logistic regression models, both treatment and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were significant, independent predictors of cancer risk.
Conclusions: Improving calcium and vitamin D nutritional status substantially reduces all-cancer risk in postmenopausal women.

Linda · 06-09-2007, 12:01 AM

This may seem weird, but my onc is testing my Vit D level (and it's been low!) and has me taking supplements. I'm starting to read more about this...
Linda

newgg · 06-09-2007, 03:01 AM

Same here....GP had that done along with the other tons of blood work during the annual physical. Says she now is as concerned about the Vit D level and how it relates to bone density. My interest has increased as we read more about the connection with the beast of cancer. Hugs, Bonnie

Vanessa · 06-09-2007, 07:39 AM

I am currently taking D3 supplements with my calcium. I read somewhere that D3 is the best kind, but I can't remember where I read that.

Andrea Barnett Budin · 06-09-2007, 11:34 AM

I take 1000 D3 + 1200 calcium w/D 400. IS PLAIN "D" DIFFERENT THAN D3? I take both. I've been reading much about our increased need for D as we age. And I no longer sit in the sun. I just gaze blissfully out at it each day.

Does any one know about the 2 D's???????? Love always, always love... ANDI

Becky · 06-09-2007, 01:44 PM

D2 (the less desirable form) must be converted to D3 (for use in the body) by the liver. Most people are very efficient at the conversion but some are not. Also, the ability of the liver to convert is compromised with age so as we get older, we become less efficient at doing it. Both forms are good for you but you need much more of D2 if you are an inefficient converter (which most of us don't know what we are!!??)

20 minutes of exposing the arms, legs and face to the sun without sunblock 3X per week during April - October in most regions gives you more than enough D3. During the rest of the year, you need supplement for sure. I use cod liver oil and the D that is in my calcium supplement. I make sure I take about 800 iu in supplementation. The rest I get because I eat dairy.

Hope this helps you. The D3 form is also known as Ergocaleiferol (in a supplement) and the D2 for is known as Cholecaleiferol (in a supplement).

Hopeful · 06-09-2007, 02:11 PM

Becky,

My Vitamin D supplement from Nature Made says it contains, "Vitamin D3 (Cholecaleiferol)". I am confused - is this improper labeling?

Hopeful

Becky · 06-09-2007, 02:50 PM

No - I relooked it up and got them reversed. I won't even blame it on chemobrain cuz I never really got that (just the Herceptin word confusion thing). I am very sorry about that because I really think its important to be right about these things.

D2= ergo
D3 = chole

Hopeful · 06-10-2007, 09:11 AM

Becky, I definitely have more faith in you than in the people who make the vitamins! Thanks for setting me straight. I have the "word" issue myself; I had it before Hercepting/AI's and it has definitely worsened; I tend to blame it on the AI because it began when I started losing ER naturally.

Hopeful

Andrea Barnett Budin · 06-10-2007, 11:47 AM

Maybe I'm just having an off day, but -- please clue me in on AIs. With thanks and love... ANDI

Mary Jo · 06-10-2007, 06:19 PM

That's encouraging to read about the sunlight. I know that sunlight is our best form of Vitamin D and I am out in the sunshine lots and lots.

I powerwalk/jog 3 times per day - 2miles each time approximately 6 days per week. SO, along with my supplement of D is getting adequate Vit. D I am sure. However, on the down size, I did the "sunshine" (D) and exercise thing long before breast cancer was part of my life. BUT, I also ate way, way, way too much sugar. So................................................ ......time will tell. For now though, I enjoy my sunshine - enjoy my life and take care of myself the best I can. And that's a good thing.

Hugs to all,

Mary Jo

Andrea Barnett Budin · 06-11-2007, 10:59 AM

Mary Jo, I agree w/you re sugar. I kept hearing, Cancer loves sugar. I was a chocoholic (sticking w/my fav, dark, which I also thought was less fatty). Haven't had a cookie, bite of cake, candy since '04! Yummy "sweets" also have things like fructose, sucrose, dextrose and bad oils and all that delicious stuff which I believe are high in Omega 6s, which is BAD for us and promotes growth of tumor cells.

I watch my fat intake, knowing Omega 3 is good for us (EPA/DHA) INHIBITING CELL GROWTH. Green tea is supposed to have similar effect -- shrinks tumors. I drank 3 glasses (Ariz.) a day for yrs after mets. Now I'm considering taking it in pill form, as I really don't like it. I'm not a coffee person and am a tea drinker, but prefer CHAI, which is a black tea and is also good, but not as good as GREEN TEA (got that from many sources).

I try to stick w/fish and chicken and eggs for protein. Use extra virgin olive oil. Am considering cod liver oil and coconut oil as per a site posted (?maybe from RB). It is my understanding that the olive oil benefits are destroyed w/cooking, so I use it w/balsamic vinegrette for flavor. Little fried (calamari) as a treat only, rarely. Can't tolerate fruits (which I love) or nuts (ditto) as my stomach goes into turmoil. Eat vegetables mostly cooked well. Take my supplements which I listed for someone who asked somewhere around here, from my NY onc/hemotal/nutritional and supplement expert/guru. Yes ONE GEM OF A MAN!

We must eat well/right. And I just can't consume enough lypogenes, etc. so use ADJUNCTIVE therapy, w/my firm belief in the power of my thoughts, which Dr. Sarno taught me, and which changed my life forever!

As always -- MY WORDS ARE MY UNDERSTANDING OF VARIED TOPICS. I OFFER THEM AS SOMETHING TO PONDER AND CHECK OUT. LET'S ALL CONSIDER THE POSSIBITIES. HAVE THE AUDACITY TO IMAGINE.

Sent w/loving, healing energy to all my Soul Sisters and Warrior Women... ANDI (BB)

SoCalGal · 06-11-2007, 11:52 AM

Hi Andrea, aka Andi, aka andi-bb, you are like p-diddy with the getto names

I enjoy your passion and most of what speaks to you speaks to me as well. I am still eating marshmallows, a food I never craved before in my life. It is a side effect of tykerb and xeloda. I do not think a few little white puffy-fluffy-fluffs will break my life.

I also saw a new doc at UCLA through their integrative oncology dept. Although I am thin and have never had a weight prob, he changed my diet to eliminate ALL dairy, gluten and sugar (except marshmellows). I already only ate organic, free range, GRASS fed, wild caught, green, recycled, etc, etc etc so that was not much of a change. I am now taking a bunch of supplements, and also weekly acupuncture. I feel better.

I will look for the book by Dr Sarno (I think that's his name - I'll double check your posting).

Interesting article in the LA TIMES today - health section - on CHEMO BRAIN.

Thanks for the tips!
Flori

Andrea Barnett Budin · 06-11-2007, 02:50 PM

Hey Flori! When I was on chemo (the hard stuff vs Vit H) I had cravings for CUKES, of all things. I always hated that partic veg, liking almost all. Weird.
You made me laugh w/yr p-diddy comment! Can't insert smiley face, but have one. Yes John Sarno THE DIVIDED MIND (saw it in Barnes & Noble the other day, but got it on Amazon). Fabulous. Slow read. Much profundity. And other docs have chapters therein, some of whom left their practices across the country to go to NY and study w/The Man for a yr! He's a pioneer, about my height which is 5'2" (though I was 5'3" when I met him in 1980). He was in his forties back in the day, still going strong. What an honor to spend an hr w/him privately plus attend 4 1-hr lectures at NYU Med Cntr w/my husb and a bunch of other people who walked like me and sat like me. A lrge grp of us got into the elevator and you could pick out the patients and the signif others right off. Crooked, bent, hesitant, in pain. Funny visual even today.

Love yr organic free range grass fed wild caught diet. No yoghurt? I drink a tad of organic no fat milk w/my Chai tea. We should be drinking 3 cups of green tea a day, NY onc supplement man says. I'm starting green tea pills, as I don't care much for the taste. DID drink it for 2 yrs when I met, to help shrink my multiple tumors.

You enjoy yr marshmellows, Flori. You deserve a treat, doing everything else you possibly can to help the chemo along. Why did you not return to Herceptin. Did you read my post on WHY STAY ON HERCEPTIN? However, if Tykerb works for you -- HALLELUJAH! You go girl.

One of my dgthrs (and 2 grandsons) live in Bev H. Will be making a quick trip for the baby's 1st Bday in late July, 5 days. So enjoy yr humor, yr perspective, yr fierce Warrior Woman attitude. And love yr Spirit! You glow!!

Sending loving healing energy yr way... ANDI

As for the akas -- I want to make it clear that ANDI in Iowa specifically needs our prayers and our input to help her become a miracle. Not that I have ever refused a prayer said for me by any one from any religion, nor a candle lit for me, nor a visualization of me surrounded by a healing white light. All positive energy accepted and deeply grateful for being sent, always.

My friend in Chi has lung ca for 3 yrs now, stable, on chemo, has hair, energy but not as much as when she was yngr (still works, makes the holidays at her place cooking and all), has great attitude, spiritually in tune, meditates). As I said somewhere on this site, Richard Bloch (of H&R Bloch) was given 3 mnths and wouldn't accept the prognosis of sev docs. Instd of putting his affairs in order he went on a new highly aggressive chemo, meditated, visualized, wrote a bk (w/his wife), used their love and his positivity to prevail, at least over 20 yrs, last I checked. Flori, you have what it takes to make Life work for you and I add my prayers for you to that end...

Bev · 06-11-2007, 08:48 PM

Andi, AI's are Aromotase Inhibitors. They are more effective than Tamoxifen for binding excess Estrogen if one is postmenopausal. So had they gave that to you in 97 or 98 you might not of had problems, but it may not have been available and who knows? Glad you're doing fine now. BB

Andrea Barnett Budin · 06-12-2007, 09:29 AM

Bev, Thanks for the explanation. At my initial dx I was borderline ER/pr, in '95. After mastec/tram flap reconst/4 Adria/8CMF -- I was put on Tamoxifen, in the hopes of deriving "some" benefit. When I recurred in '98 in the liver, they all told me to flush my Tamoxifen down the toilet, that -- in my case -- it could have even caused the met. As of '98 I was officially ER/PR-! And Her2+ 80%. So AI's weren't for me. But I know they are wonderful for others. My friend Rochelle went 6 yrs on Tamoxifen, afraid to give it up at 5. That was 6 yrs ago and she's great. Only had 4 chemos as she stroked, but is now great. BC is so very diff for ea indiv. I used to think of it as 1 disease. I had no clue. Then came my education w/the dx. Again, thanks. Sending healing energy to all my Sister Souls... ANDI (BB) aka ANDI in Boca LET'S ALL KEEP SMILING...

Hopeful · 06-18-2007, 06:46 AM

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/85/6/1586

The authors were also kind enough to provide the latitude of the location where the study participants were drawn from, so we could "guestimate" how much sunshine and natural vitamin D they were exposed to.

Hopeful

Lani · 06-18-2007, 12:03 PM

Vitamin D protects against breast cancer

MedWire News: Vitamin D supplements, taken daily, reduce the risk of breast cancer and other tumors in postmenopausal women, results of a US study suggest.

Dr Joan Lappe and colleagues from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, explain that there is a growing body of evidence indicating that high levels of vitamin D may help protect against a variety of conditions, including cancer.

To investigate, the researchers studied 1179 women aged 55 years or older from rural eastern Nebraska. The participants took 1400–1500 mg calcium supplements, calcium plus 1100 IU vitamin D3 supplements, or placebo every day for 4 years.

Over the course of the study, 50 of the participants developed cancer, including 19 breast, 3 colon, and 7 lung tumors.

Women in the calcium plus vitamin D3 group had a 60% lower incidence of cancer than those in the placebo group, and women in the calcium-only group had a 47% lower incidence.

Analysis confined to cancers that occurred after the first year of the study revealed a 77% lower risk of cancer among women taking the calcium plus vitamin D3 supplement, compared with placebo.

"The findings are very exciting. They confirm what a number of vitamin D proponents have suspected for some time but that, until now, have not been substantiated through clinical trial," said Dr Lappe.

"Vitamin D is a critical tool in fighting cancer as well as many other diseases."

The research is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 85: 1586–1591

http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/85/6/1586

© 2006 CMG

MJo · 06-18-2007, 01:52 PM

I spent 8 years at work in a windowless office lit by flourescent lights. I am campaigning to have the office turned into a storage closet. I tell my coworkers it's unfit for human habitation. I wonder if the full spectrum light bulbs provide vitamin D.

Andrea Barnett Budin · 06-28-2007, 10:06 AM

It is awful to put to work in a windowless room. Uninhabitable to be sure. Tom Hanks in Joe & The Volcano worked in such a place. I can see him. He said he had a "brain cloud" or some such thing and went away on vacation, I seem to vaguely recall.

I just (finally) checked my Calcium w/Vit D. It is cholecaleiferal. Then I checked my D3, which my onc/supplement expert recommended additionally. It too is cholecaleiferal. So-- do I need the ERGOCALEIFEROL? Or am I good where I am. Just got this morning's scan results. Still NED. No evidence of metastatic disease. STABLE! I really believe all my supplements (+meditation, guided imagery, connection to my Spirit and the Universe) ALL serve to EMPOWER me! Thank you God. Thank you body. Thank you mind. Love to all my sweet Sister Souls and wonderful Warrior Women... ANDI