World J Breast Cancer Res | Volume 2, Issue 1 | Review Article | Open Access

Vitamin D: A Multi-Faceted Role for the Prevention, Management, Survivorship and Palliative Care of Breast Cancer

Constantina Constantinou1* and Ourania Kolokotroni2

1Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, University of Nicosia Medical School, Cyprus
2Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, Cyprus

*Correspondance to: Constantina Constantinou 

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Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide. Conventional treatments for breast cancer are associated with a number of side effects in the cancer patient. There is therefore an urgent need to investigate the anti-cancer potency of natural compounds which are efficacious and affordable and may be used in the chemoprevention and/or the pharmacological management of breast cancer. In the past few decades, the role of Vitamin D in the prevention and management of cancer has been the focus of many research studies. Evidence in the literature supports the potency of 1,25(OH)2 D3 and Vitamin D synthetic derivatives to induce cell cycle block and caspase-dependent programmed cell death (i.e. classical apoptosis) and to inhibit angiogenesis in breast cancer. While the signaling pathways related to the anti-cancer potency of Vitamin D are the focus of current investigation, evidence is emerging on the existence of caspase-independent pathways of programmed cell death. Promising results from cellular and animal studies have also led to the development of clinical trials investigating the role of Vitamin D in breast cancer prevention and pharmacological management. In addition to the possible role of Vitamin D in the chemoprevention and adjuvant therapy of breast cancer, there may be a beneficial use for prescribing Vitamin D to breast cancer survivors and to advanced breast cancer patients receiving palliative care. The scope of this review is to provide evidence supporting a multi-faceted role of Vitamin D in the prevention, management (adjuvant treatment), survivorship and palliative care of breast cancer.

Keywords:

Breast cancer; Vitamin D; 1, 25(OH)2 D3; Caspase-independent programmed cell death; Prevention; Management; Survivorship; Palliative care

Citation:

Constantinou C, Kolokotroni O. Vitamin D: A Multi-Faceted Role for the Prevention, Management, Survivorship and Palliative Care of Breast Cancer. World J Breast Cancer Res. 2019;2(1):1011.

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