A clinical study in Brazil suggests that low-dose vitamin D supplements may significantly enhance the response of breast cancer patients to chemotherapy.
In a study conducted at São
Paulo State University involving 80 women over the age of 45, low-dose vitamin
D supplementation nearly doubled the rate of treatment response.
A study conducted at the Botucatu School of Medicine
at São Paulo State University (FMB-UNESP) in Brazil found that low-dose vitamin
D supplementation can improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy in women with
breast cancer. The findings suggest that vitamin D may serve as an alternative
to other drugs designed to boost chemotherapy response, especially those that
are difficult to access.
The research, supported by FAPESP, included 80 women
over the age of 45 who were preparing to begin treatment at the oncology
outpatient clinic of the general and teaching hospital (“Hospital das
Clínicas”) at FMB-UNESP. The women were divided into two groups: one group of
40 received 2,000 IU (international units) of vitamin D daily, while the other
40 received placebo tablets.
After six months of cancer treatment and supplementation,
43% of the women taking vitamin D saw their tumors disappear following
chemotherapy, compared to 24% in the placebo group. All participants underwent
neoadjuvant chemotherapy, a treatment used to shrink tumors before surgery.
“Even with a small sample of participants, it was
possible to observe a significant difference in the response to chemotherapy.
In addition, the dosage used in the research [2,000 IU per day]
is far below the target dose for correcting vitamin D deficiency, which is
usually 50,000 IU per week,” says Eduardo Carvalho-Pessoa, president of the São
Paulo Regional Brazilian Society of Mastology and one of the authors of the
article published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer.
Immunity
Vitamin D is a hormone that helps the body absorb
calcium and phosphorus, both of which are essential for maintaining healthy
bones. Recent research has also shown that vitamin D supports the immune system
and helps fight infections and diseases, including cancer. However, most
studies that have explored the connection between vitamin D and cancer have
used high doses of the supplement.
This hormone is
obtained primarily through exposure to sunlight and food. The recommended daily
intake is 600 IU for those who are not deficient in the vitamin, and 800 IU a
day for older people. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 400 IU of
vitamin D per day for babies. It is important to note that too much can be
toxic and cause vomiting, weakness, bone pain, and kidney stones.
After six months of cancer treatment and supplementation, 43% of participants using vitamin D saw their disease disappear with the use of chemotherapy, compared to 24% of the placebo group.
Most of the participants in the study
had low levels of vitamin D, defined as less than 20 nanograms per milliliter
(ng/mL) of blood. The Brazilian Society of Rheumatology recommends levels
between 40 and 70 ng/mL. “With supplementation, levels increased throughout
chemotherapy treatment, which reinforces a possible contribution to the
patients’ recovery,” Carvalho-Pessoa told Agência FAPESP. “Vitamin D is an
accessible and inexpensive option compared to other drugs used to improve the
response to chemotherapy, some of which are not even included in the list of
the Unified Health System [the Brazilian national public health network, known as the SUS,
its acronym in Portuguese],” he adds.
For the
researcher, the findings pave the way for further investigation into the
auxiliary role of the substance in the response to cancer treatment.
“These are encouraging results that justify a new
round of studies with a larger number of participants. This will allow a
greater understanding of the role of vitamin D in increasing the response to
chemotherapy treatment and, consequently, in the greater likelihood of breast
cancer remission,” he concludes.
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