Is Soy Safe to Eat After Breast Cancer?
New Study Suggests Soy Will Not Increase Risk of Return of Breast Cancer
April 5, 2011 -- For years, breast cancer survivors were often counseled to avoid soy foods and supplements because of estrogen-like effects that might theoretically cause breast tumors to grow.
Now, a new study of more than 18,312 women shows that eating soy foods did not increase risk of breast cancer recurrence.
The new findings are being presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 102nd Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla.
“If you regularly eat soy, you don’t need to worry or avoid it, and women who want to lead a healthy life, can safely include some soy in their diets,” says study researcher Xiao Oh Shu, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.
In addition to the isoflavones which may act like estrogens in the body, “soy has many anticancer properties, antioxidants, nutrients, micronutrients, or vitamins that may contribute to its beneficial effect on health,” Shu says.
Shu and colleagues analyzed data from four large studies of women with a history of breast cancer diagnosed between ages 20 and 83. Soy intake was assessed using questionnaires in all of these studies. The study only looked at soy foods, not supplements.
They found that the odds of breast cancer recurrence were not increased among women who consumed the highest amount of soy in their diet, compared with women who ate less soy foods. Women who were from Shanghai, China, where one of the studies took place, consumed more soy than American women.
Slideshow: A Visual Guide to Breast Cancer
After an average of nine years after their breast cancer diagnosis, women who consumed the highest amount of soy, or more than 23 milligrams of soy per day, had a 9% lower risk of dying from any cause and a 15% reduced risk for breastcancer recurrence, compared to women who consumed 0.48 milligrams of soy per day or less.
These results were not considered statistically significant and therefore may be due to chance.
According to Shu, 23 milligrams per day of soy consumed is the equivalent of one glass of soy milk or a half cup of tofu.
Is Soy Safe to Eat After Breast Cancer?
New Study Suggests Soy Will Not Increase Risk of Return of Breast Cancer
April 5, 2011 -- For years, breast cancer survivors were often counseled to avoid soy foods and supplements because of estrogen-like effects that might theoretically cause breast tumors to grow.
Now, a new study of more than 18,312 women shows that eating soy foods did not increase risk of breast cancer recurrence.
The new findings are being presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 102nd Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla.
“If you regularly eat soy, you don’t need to worry or avoid it, and women who want to lead a healthy life, can safely include some soy in their diets,” says study researcher Xiao Oh Shu, MD, PhD, a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.
In addition to the isoflavones which may act like estrogens in the body, “soy has many anticancer properties, antioxidants, nutrients, micronutrients, or vitamins that may contribute to its beneficial effect on health,” Shu says.
Shu and colleagues analyzed data from four large studies of women with a history of breast cancer diagnosed between ages 20 and 83. Soy intake was assessed using questionnaires in all of these studies. The study only looked at soy foods, not supplements.
They found that the odds of breast cancer recurrence were not increased among women who consumed the highest amount of soy in their diet, compared with women who ate less soy foods. Women who were from Shanghai, China, where one of the studies took place, consumed more soy than American women.
Slideshow: A Visual Guide to Breast Cancer
Checking for Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence
After an average of nine years after their breast cancer diagnosis, women who consumed the highest amount of soy, or more than 23 milligrams of soy per day, had a 9% lower risk of dying from any cause and a 15% reduced risk for breastcancer recurrence, compared to women who consumed 0.48 milligrams of soy per day or less.
These results were not considered statistically significant and therefore may be due to chance.
According to Shu, 23 milligrams per day of soy consumed is the equivalent of one glass of soy milk or a half cup of tofu.
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