The Potential Role of Calcitriol Analogs in the Management of Breast Cancer.
Abstract
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among females and a leading cause of death of all middle age women in the United States. Epidemiologic evidence suggests a role for vitamin D deficiency in the development of breast cancer. Moreover, vitamin D receptors have been found in most breast cancers, and their presence appears to be a favorable prognostic sign. While much clinical focus has been given to the vitamin A related retinoids, little is known about the role for vitamin D in the development of breast cancer although vitamin D and its active metabolites and analogs represent a class of compounds which at the molecular and cellular level have strong similarities to the vitamin A metabolites and analogs. With the development of potent but non hypercalcemic analogs of vitamin D, the potential role of vitamin D in the etiology and treatment of breast cancer can now be tested both in vitro and in vivo. In the past decade, a number of tissues have been found to contain receptors for the active vitamin D metabolite, 1,25(OH)2 D, and to respond to this hormone with a change in function.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA322065
Entities
People
- Daniel D Bikle
Organizations
- University of California, San Francisco