Breast Cancer cure rate by chemotherapy increased 2.3 X by Vitamin D (50,000 IU weekly) - RCT
Vitamin D Supplementation During Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer Improves Pathological Complete Response: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial
World J Surg. 2025 Apr 14. doi: 10.1002/wjs.12587 PDF behind paywall
Enver Özkurt 1, Cetin Ordu 2, Tolga Özmen 3, Ahmet Serkan Ilgun 4, Gursel Soybir 5, Filiz Celebi 6, Ertan Koç 7, Naziye Ak 8, Gul Alco 9, Sevgi Kurt 10, Filiz Ağaçayak 11, Ekrem Yavuz 12, Sıtkı Tuzlalı 13, Vahit Ozmen 14
Introduction: Achieving a pCR serves as a biomarker indicating enhanced overall survival for breast cancer patients undergoing NST. Vitamin D enhances the antitumor effect of chemotherapeutics as demonstrated in cancer cells and animal models. In this prospective randomized clinical study, we aim to investigate the effect of oral vitamin D supplementation during neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) on pathologic complete response (pCR).
Methods: Between June 2019 and June 2023, an oral form of 50,000 IU vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) replacement was administered once a week during NST for the study group.
Results: There were 114 (50.2%) cases in the study group and 113 (49.8%) in the control group (totally 227 cases). Factors that positively influenced pCR were higher clinical T stage, higher AJCC clinical stage, Estrogen receptor negativity, progesterone receptor negativity, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positivity, high Ki-67 expression (≥ 20%), hormone negative molecular subtypes, and vitamin D intake in univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, factors significantly affecting pCR were vitamin D intake (OR: 2.33 , 95% CI 1.20-4.53; p = 0.013), hormone receptor negativity (OR: 2.22, 95% CI 1.11-4.43; p = 0.024), and Ki-67 ≥ 20% (OR: 3.27, 95% CI 1.03-10.34; p = 0.044).
Conclusions: This is the first and only study to compare the effect of oral vitamin D supplementation on pCR during NST. Vitamin D supplementation during NST has a significant effect on pCR in breast cancer patients. Although this effect is not significant for axillary pCR, there is an almost significant correlation.