title: A survey on the relationship between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D level and tumor characteristics in patients with breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, epidemiologic and laboratory studies have implied that vitamin D deficiency has a role in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. It has shown that vitamin D can prevent tumor progression induced by carcinogens and inhibit the carcinogenic effects of high fat diet on breast tissue and growth of tumor cells. This study aimed to evaluate serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and its role in relation to tumor characteristics and different stages of disease in women with breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study on 200 patients with breast cancer at different stages of the disease. Information on age, menstrual status, BMI and tumor characteristics were recorded. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Mean and standard deviation were used to describe the data. Meanwhile, T-test and sum of squares test were used to analyze the data. P<0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 200 patients, 47 (23.5%) had severe vitamin D deficiency, 75 (37.5 %) had mild vitamin D deficiency and 78 (39.0 %) had sufficient vitamin D levels. There was a significant correlation between low vitamin D levels and advanced stage of breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems that lower levels of vitamin D accompany worse clinicopathologic features. Thus, treatment of vitamin D deficiency in postmenopausal patients might be of great benefits.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Medical Oncologist-Hematologist, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Ghasem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Janbabai
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Medical Oncologist-Hematologist, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shekarriz
authors.affiliation: Internist, Department of Internal Medicine, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Homa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hassanzadeh
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Epidemiologist, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Health Sciences Research Center, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aarabi
authors.affiliation: General Physician, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyedeh Samaneh
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Borhani
keywords: Breast cancer; Menopausal status; Tumor stage; Vitamin D