Vitamin D deficiency triples post‑mastectomy pain
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- Vitamin D deficiency (≤30 nmol/L) was present in 92 of the 184 breast‑cancer patients studied at Fayoum University Hospital between September 2024 and April 2025.
- Patients with vitamin D deficiency were three times more likely to report moderate‑to‑severe pain in the first 24 hours after mastectomy than those with sufficient vitamin D.
- Vitamin‑deficient patients consumed significantly more tramadol opioid medication during the postoperative period compared with vitamin‑sufficient patients.
- Researchers say vitamin D may regulate pain through anti‑inflammatory and immune‑modulating effects.
- The study recorded pain scores at 0, 6, 12, 18, 24 hours, finding no patient reported severe pain (≥7/10) but a higher proportion of deficient patients experienced moderate‑to‑severe pain.
Why it matters: Breast‑cancer patients with vitamin D deficiency (<30 nmol/L) experience three‑fold higher moderate‑to‑severe pain and use more opioids, while surgeons can cut pain scores and opioid consumption by screening and supplementing before mastectomy.
