Women with breast cancer can cut their risk of dying by 30% by taking multivitamins

Women with breast cancer are more likely to survive if they take multivitamin and mineral supplements.  Researchers from the Yeshiva University in New York have found that women, whose breast cancer has become invasive, reduce their chances of dying from the cancer by around 30 per cent. 

The supplements seem to have a protective effect in postmenopausal women whose breast cancer has entered into the breast tissue.

They found that women who take multivitamin and mineral supplements at least once a week are 30 per cent less likely to die from the cancer than women who don’t take any supplements.  

The researchers made the discovery when they analysed data from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), including the 7,728 women who were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Around 38 per cent of the women were taking a multivitamin, and most of these had been taking them before breast cancer had been detected. 

Source: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 2013; doi: 10.1007/s10549-013-2712-x)