title: Cancer prevalence in osteoporotic women with low serum vitamin D levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the role of vitamin D in cancer development in postmenopausal osteoporotic women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional and in vitro study was carried out, with statistical analysis with odds ratios and 95% CIs presented. Human estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells (MCF-7) were studied in vitro. The apoptosis-to-proliferation (A/P) ratio was also determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 885 women were included in this study. Any kind of cancer was found in 112 (12.7%) of all women. Breast cancer was the most prevalent malignancy, representing half of the cases (n = 56, 50%). The prevalence of any kind of cancer and breast cancer in women with low 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels (25OHD; <50 nmol/L) was higher than in women with high 25OHD levels (≥ 50 nmol/L). The in vitro study demonstrated a statistically significant increased A/P ratio of 5.27 (95% CI, 4.054-6.493) with a high concentration of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (10 μM) after 96 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Osteoporotic women with low serum levels of 25OHD (<50 nmol/L) have an increased prevalence of any kind of cancer and breast cancer; however, these differences are not statistically significant. 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D induced an increased A/P ratio in MCF-7 breast cancer cells in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medisch Spectrum Twente Hospital Group, Enschede, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Veldhuis
authors.forename: Floor
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wolbers
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brouckaert
authors.forename: Istvan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vermes
authors.forename: Henk R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Franke
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002455:Cell Division; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D002117:Calcitriol; D002112:Calcifediol