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Eurasian Journal of
Medicine and Oncology Vitamin D and breast cancer

exposures to assess the role of Vitamin D in breast cancer ethnic groups, and the inability to assess non-linear or
comprehensively. At the same time, we recommend time-dependent effects of Vitamin D. Future studies should
incorporating groups from different ethnicities and expand to diverse populations, integrate longitudinal
geographical regions in future research designs to examine designs, and explore interactions between Vitamin D,
the universality of the relationship between Vitamin D lifestyle factors, and other biomarkers to clarify its role
and breast cancer. The genetic backgrounds and lifestyles in breast cancer pathogenesis. Clinically, our findings
of other populations may influence the metabolism of suggest that Vitamin D supplementation is unlikely to
Vitamin D and the pathogenesis of breast cancer; therefore, confer significant protection against breast cancer, and
cross-population studies can help reveal more details about public health strategies should prioritize evidence-based
the role of Vitamin D. Furthermore, future research should interventions. This study underscores the importance of
continue to explore the potential impact of Vitamin D on employing genetic causal inference methods to resolve
other types of cancer or other diseases. By conducting a controversies in observational epidemiology, while
comprehensive analysis of the role of Vitamin D in various advocating for multidisciplinary approaches to unravel the
diseases, we can thoroughly assess its significance in public complex etiology of breast cancer.
health and provide a scientific basis for the formulation
of relevant health policies. Through multidisciplinary Acknowledgments
collaboration, integrating knowledge from fields such as None.
epidemiology, molecular biology, genetics, and nutrition,
we can gain a deeper understanding of the role of Vitamin Funding
D in human health, offering new perspectives and
strategies for the prevention and treatment of diseases. In None.
summary, although the current research has not found a Conflict of interest
direct causal relationship between Vitamin D and breast
cancer in the European population, the multifaceted role The authors declare no competing interests.
of Vitamin D in human health suggests that future studies
should adopt a more comprehensive and multidimensional Author contributions
approach to explore the potential impacts of Vitamin D. Conceptualization: All authors
Through interdisciplinary collaboration and rigorous Formal analysis: Yang Xiao, Xingyi Song
research design, we can anticipate a deeper understanding Methodology: Yang Xiao, Xingyi Song
of the role of Vitamin D in breast cancer and other diseases Writing–original draft: Yang Xiao
in the near future. The key limitation of the study is that Writing–review & editing: Xingyi Song, Mei Yin
the MR analysis was restricted to European-ancestry
populations. Caution is required when extrapolating these Ethics approval and consent to participate
findings to other ethnic groups due to potential genetic Not applicable.
and environmental heterogeneity.
Consent for publication
5. Conclusion
Not applicable.
This MR study provides robust genetic evidence that
Vitamin D levels are not causally associated with breast Availability of data
cancer risk in populations of European ancestry. Utilizing The data used in this study were derived from publicly
111 SNPs as instrumental variables and rigorous sensitivity available datasets. Data is available on https://gwas.mrcieu.
analyses, our findings consistently demonstrated no ac.uk/and https://www.finngen.fi
significant effect of Vitamin D on breast cancer incidence
(IVW OR = 1.002, 95% CI: 0.896 – 1.119, p=0.968). These References
results are in contrast with some observational studies that
suggested a protective role for Vitamin D, highlighting 1. Forouzanfar MH, Foreman KJ, Delossantos AM, et al. Breast
and cervical cancer in 187 countries between 1980 and 2010:
the potential influence of residual confounding or A systematic analysis. Lancet. 2011;378(9801):1461-1484.
reverse causality in earlier research. The MR approach,
which minimizes such biases, strengthens the validity of doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(11)61351-2
our null association. Despite the methodological rigor, 2. Greco KE, Mahon SM. The state of genomic health care
limitations still exist, including the restriction to European and cancer. Are we going two steps forward and one step
populations, which limits generalizability to other backward? Annu Rev Nurs Res. 2011;29:73-97.

Volume 9 Issue 3 (2025) 107 doi: 10.36922/EJMO025130064