Breast cancer patients can relieve side effects of estrogen-lowering drugs by taking vitamin D
Many breast cancer patients buy Tamoxifen to slow the progression of the disease.
Many breast cancer patients buy Tamoxifen to slow the progression of the disease. These individuals could benefit from taking high-dose vitamin D as well, since the supplement may relieve joint and muscle pain associated with estrogen-lowering drugs, according to a recent study from the Washington University School of Medicine.
Lead investigator Antonella L. Rastelli and her colleagues reported that some medications for breast cancer, like aromatase inhibitors, are prescribed to shrink tumors fueled by the estrogen hormone. Although they are effective and less toxic than chemotherapy, they can cause discomfort in the hands, wrists, feet, hips and lower back.
"About half of patients can experience these symptoms," Rastelli explained. "We don't know exactly why the pain occurs, but it can be very debilitating - the point that patients decide to stop taking aromatase inhibitors."
According to the researchers, vitamin D may be able to alleviate these symptoms, allowing women with breast cancer to improve their medication adherence.
These findings were published online in the current issue of the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.
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