title: Significance of serum levels of vitamin D and some related minerals in breast cancer patients.
abstract: Vitamin D and calcium are involved in a wide range of proliferation, apoptosis and cell signaling activities in the body. Suboptimal concentrations may lead to cancer development. The role of phosphate in cancer metabolism is particularly relevant in breast cancer while, magnesium deficiency favors DNA mutations leading to carcinogenesis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine serum levels of vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and parathormone in female breast cancer patients and to assess their association with some prognostic factors in breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is done on 98 newly diagnosed female breast cancer patients and 49 age matched apparently healthy female volunteers as controls. Serum samples from all patients and controls were subjected to 25-OH Vit D, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and parathormone measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the breast cancer group, the median serum levels of 25-OH Vit D were 15 ng/ml, while it was 21 ng/ml in the control group. Levels of 25-OH Vit D and other tested minerals were significantly lower while calcium:magnesium (Ca:Mg) ratio, and calcium:phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio were significantly higher in the breast cancer group. Significant negative correlation was detected between phosphorus and calcium, ionized calcium , calcium magnesium ratio, and calcium phosphorus ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is not only the deficient levels of Vit D and other related minerals, but the combination of the abnormal levels of all the studied parameters that might contribute to the development of cancer. Further studies with larger number of patient are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical & Chemical Pathology, NCI, Cairo University Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Iman A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Abdelgawad
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, NCI, Cairo University Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Rawya H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: El-Mously
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Sciences Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Magdy M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Saber
authors.affiliation: Departement of Biochemitry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alazhar University Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ossama A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Mansour
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemitry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Samia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shouman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D008903:Minerals / Q000097:blood*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; C470125:PTH protein, human; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D014807:Vitamin D; D010758:Phosphorus; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Vitamin D; breast cancer; calcium; magnesium; phosphorus