Assessments of Serum level Vitamin D and Thyroid Function Tests among Newly Diagnosed Female Breast Cancer Patients attending in Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2025
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women, with high global
mortality. Vitamin D deficiency and thyroid dysfunction may influence BC through hormonal
regulation and immune modulation. Thyroid hormones affect cell metabolism and proliferation,
while vitamin D has anti-proliferative effects on breast tissue. Thyroid dysfunction can alter
estrogen metabolism, impacting BC risk. However, data on serum vitamin D and thyroid
hormone levels in Ethiopian BC patients are limited. This study aims to assess these levels in
newly diagnosed female BC patients.
Methods: A Facility-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from January to
March 2024 in Tikur Anbessa Specialty Hospital. A convenient sampling method was employed
to recruit 69 females newly diagnosed with breast cancer as a case group and 69 samples from
apparently healthy females as a control group. Blood samples were collected and sent to
Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) for Serum 25 hydroxyl vitamin D (25(HO) D)
Concentration and Thyroid Function Tests , by using a COBAS 6000 analyzer. The data was
analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 software. Independent T-tests, chi-square test, One-way
ANOVA tests, Kruskal Wallis test, and multiple linear regression tests were used to analyze the
data.
Results: Breast cancer patients had significantly lower Total Triiodothyronine (TT3) levels(1.2±0.28 ng/mL) than healthy controls (1.4±0.19 ng/mL, p<0.001). Free Triiodothyronine
(FT3) was also significantly reduced in BC patients (p< 0.001). 25(HO) D levels showed a
significant lower median value in BC patients compared to healthy control groups (p=0.043).
Breast cancer stage and subtype significantly influence thyroid function and vitamin D levels,
with advanced stages associated with altered thyroid hormones and reduced 25(OH) D levels.
Conclusion: Breast Cancer patients exhibited significantly lower TT3 and FT3 levels compared
to controls. Although vitamin D deficiency was prevalent in both groups, severe deficiency (<10
ng/mL) was significantly higher in the BC patients. Therefore, monitoring and managing
vitamin D and thyroid hormone levels could be important components of breast cancer risk
assessment and prevention strategies. However, larger-scale studies are needed to further
validate and strengthen these findings.
Description
Keywords
Breast Cancer, Thyroid Hormones, TSH, 25(OH) D, Vitamin Deficiency