Review
Vitamin D and breast cancer: interpreting current evidence
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Correspondence: Rowan T Chlebowski rowanchlebowski@gmail.com
Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 11243 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90502, USA
Breast Cancer Research 2011, 13:217 doi:10.1186/bcr2846
Published: 16 August 2011Abstract
Preclinical investigations and selected clinical observational studies support an association between higher vitamin D intake and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with lower breast cancer risk. However, the recently updated report from the Institute of Medicine concluded that, for cancer and vitamin D, the evidence was 'inconsistent and insufficient to inform nutritional requirements'. Against this background, reports examining vitamin D intake, 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and breast cancer incidence and outcome were reviewed. Current evidence supports the pursuit of several research questions but not routine 25-hydroxyvitamin D monitoring and vitamin D supplementation to reduce breast cancer incidence or improve breast cancer outcome.