Low levels of Vitamin D in women may be a sign of premenopausal breast cancer, a study on ScienceDaily.com reports.

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine based their findings on blood samples from 600 healthy women and 600 diagnosed with breast cancer. They found that most breast cancer patients had their Vitamin D serum levels drop three months prior to diagnosis,which may present a possible time window for doctors to immediately act on the disease.

"Based on these data, further investigation of the role of vitamin D in reducing incidence of premenopausal breast cancer, particularly during the late phases of its development, is warranted," Cedric Garland, DrPH, FACE, professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at UC San Diego, explains.

Symptoms of breast cancer includes lumps different from breast tissue, changes in skin color, changes in nipple appearance and possible clear or bloody fluid leaks. If you or a loved one have any of these symptoms, immediately seek medical help.

(Photo by Steve Snodgrass via Flickr Creative Commons)