Evaluation of Plasma Vitamin D and Zinc Levels in Sudanese Women with Breast Cancer

Abstract

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. It was conducted at the Radiation & Isotopes Centre Khartoum (RICK), Khartoum State. The aim of the present study is to evaluate plasma vitamin D and Zinc Levels in Breast Cancer Sudanese Women. A total of 60 women with breast cancer were enrolled in this study, in addition to 30 healthy volunteers’ women as a control group. In this study the test group responding 30% in age between 20-39 (n= 18), 48% in age between 40-59 (n= 29) and 22% in age 60 and more (n= 13) Immunochemistry ELISA was used for measurement of Vitamin D. Atomic absorption spectrophotometeric assay was used for zinc estimation, BMI calculated using international formula, then data were analyzed by Statistical (SPSS version 15) computer software. The results of the present study showed a significant decrease in the mean of plasma vitamin D levels in patients when compared with control group (26.07±7.40) versus (37.63±5.56) respectively with (P-value 0.00). Result of zinc indicated insignificant decrease when compared mean of patients with mean of control group with ( P-value 0.15). Also there was a significant elevation in the plasma vitamin D levels in premenopausal women with breast cancer when compared with the mean of menopausal (27.84±8.32) versus (24.04±5.68) (P-value 0.04) and insignificant increase in the mean of plasma zinc levels in premenopausal women with breast cancer when compared with menopausal (P-value 0.07). In the current study there was insignificant increase in the mean of plasma vitamin D levels in normal and overweight patients ( P-value 0.15). Also there was insignificant increase in the mean of plasma zinc levels in normal and overweight patients (P-value 0.29). Furthermore there was insignificant increase in the mean of plasma vitamin D levels within the different durations of breast cancer (P-value 0.81) but in the mean of plasma zinc levels there was a significant decrease according to the durations of breast cancer less than or equal two year and more than two years (9.14±7.33) versus (5.27± 3.02) (P-value 0.00). The result of current study indicated that there was insignificant increase in the mean of plasma vitamin D and zinc levels in women with breast cancer according to their number of child (P-value 0.25) (P-value 0.12). In this study there was a positive correlation between vitamin D and zinc with (r= +0.37) and the strength of correlation indicates that at least 37% of the total positively correlated. This study concludes that, there is strong evidence to support the hypothesis that vitamin D decreased in breast cancer. Zinc levels were not associated with breast cancer risk overall, although we could not exclude the possibility of a protective effect in women. These results should be confirmed by use more sample size.