Association of vitamin D deficiency and inflammatory cytokines with the clinicopathological features of breast cancer in female Saudi patients

Abstract

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in Saudi Arabia. Many studies have suggested a strong correlation between vitamin D and multiple types of cancer. This study included 100 female Saudi patients with early or locally advanced breast cancer. Patients were recruited from King Faisal Hospital in Taif City, Saudi Arabia, from January 2020 to September 2020. We aimed to study the association between serum vitamin D, calcium, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and chemerin and breast cancer progression. The control group consisted of 100 healthy individuals. Serum levels of vitamin D, calcium, IL-6, TNF-α and chemerin were measured in all participants. Vitamin D was significantly decreased in patients with high-grade tumours (p < 0.0001), obesity (p = 0.013), negative oestrogen receptors (p < 0.0001), negative progesterone receptors (p < 0.0001) and positive HER2 receptors (p < 0.0001). Vitamin D was also decreased in patients with large tumours (p < 0.0001), axillary lymph node involvement (p < 0.0001) and advanced-stage cancers (p < 0.0001). Moreover, higher levels of IL-6, TNF-α and chemerin were significantly associated with the presence of breast cancer, particularly in its advanced stages. Vitamin D deficiency and elevated levels of IL-6, TNF- α and chemerin were associated with adverse clinicopathological features of breast cancer. Vitamin D deficiency and elevated inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and chemerin) were associated with the clinicopathological features of breast cancer in female Saudi patients.