Low 25-OH vitamin D levels at time of diagnosis and recurrence of ovarian cancer

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation between 25-OH vitamin D and ovarian cancer as a diagnostic marker or recurrence disease marker. We studied the following: (1) 61 women without gynecologic diseases, (2) 45 women affected by benign ovarian disease, (3) 46 women with recent diagnosis of ovarian cancer, (4) 26 follow-up women with recurrent ovarian cancer, and (5) 32 follow-up women with stable ovarian cancer. The 25-OH vitamin D was quantified with LUMIPULSE® G 25-OH vitamin D on LUMIPULSE® G 1200 (Fujirebio, Japan). As a threshold value, identified by ROC curve analysis, 20.2 ng/mL (sensitivity 73.3 %, specificity 84 %) was chosen corresponding to the limit between sufficient and insufficient 25-OH vitamin D according to the WHO. Low 25-OH vitamin D levels were observed in 26 % of women without gynecologic diseases, in 80 % of women with recent diagnosis of ovarian cancer and in 24 % women affected by benign ovarian diseases (p < 0.001). The follow-up study showed an insufficient level of 25-OH vitamin D in 73 % women with recurrent ovarian cancer and in 47 % women with stable ovarian cancer (p < 0.0003). This study showed that patients with ovarian cancer are often insufficient in 25-OH vitamin D compared to women with benign ovarian diseases. The women with recurrent ovarian cancer presented more often low levels compared to women with stable ovarian cancer. This study suggests that 25-OH vitamin D, due to its antiproliferative properties, can be a good marker for ovarian cancer also.

Keywords: 25-OH vitamin D; Biomarker; Epithelial ovarian cancer; Follow-up.