Vitamin D, Calcium, and Mammographic Breast Densities Sylvie Bérubé1,2, Caroline Diorio1, Wendy Verhoek-Oftedahl3 and Jacques Brisson1,2 1 Unité de recherche en santé des populations and 2 Centre des maladies du sein Deschênes-Fabia, Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire de Québec, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada and 3 Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island Requests for reprints: Jacques Brisson, Unité de recherche en santé des populations, Centre hospitalier affilié universitaire de Québec, Pavillon Saint-Sacrement, 1050 Chemin Sainte-Foy, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada G1S 4L8. Phone: 418-682-7392; Fax: 418-682-7949. E-mail: jacques.brisson@uresp.ulaval.ca Vitamin D and calcium are being evaluated as potential breast cancer prevention agents. This study reports on the relation of dietary vitamin D and calcium to mammographic breast densities, one of the strongest breast cancer risk factors. Participants were women ages 40 to 60 years who had had a screening mammogram in Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts (1989–1990). Diet was assessed by semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire, and the percentage of the breast showing densities was estimated visually by a single observer without information on subjects. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compare dietary intakes of vitamin D and calcium between women classified as having few densities (30% of the breast with density, n = 287) and extensive densities (70% of the breast with density, n = 256). For categories of increasing vitamin D intake (<50, 50–99, 100–199, and 200 IU/d), adjusted odds ratios (OR) for extensive densities were 1.00 (reference), 0.51, 0.37, and 0.24, respectively (P for trend = 0.0005). For increasing calcium intake (<500, 500–749, 750–999, and 1,000 mg/d), adjusted ORs were 1.00 (reference), 0.63, 0.25, and 0.24, respectively (P for trend = 0.0006). Combination of higher intakes of vitamin D and calcium (100 IU/d and 750 mg/d, respectively) were associated with a reduction of breast densities (OR, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.15–0.54) compared with those consuming <100 IU/d and <750 mg/d. Increases in vitamin D and calcium intakes were associated with decreases in breast densities, suggesting that dietary vitamin D and calcium could reduce breast cancer risk possibly through influences on breast tissue morphology Source: Breast Cancer News is brought to you by BREAST CANCER OPTIONS, a grassroots organization focusing on Health Advocacy, Support and Education. http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/13/9/1466 Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention Vol. 13, 1466-1472, September 2004 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.