Soy and breast cancer

[Guest guest]

The soy pendulum is swinging to the safe side...if you are a female

cynomolgus monkey???

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

" This is convincing evidence that at dietary levels, the estrogens

found in soy do not stimulate cell growth and other markers for

cancer risk. " Wood (lead researcher)

To investigate how a diet high in soy phytoestrogens called

isoflavones affects markers for breast and uterine cancer, Wood and

colleagues performed studies on postmenopausal monkeys.

The monkeys were given one of three diets for three years:

• Soy that didn't contain isoflavones.

• Soy with the isoflavones intact.

• Soy without isoflavones, but with Premarin or estrogen

therapy added.

The researchers measured breast density, numbers of dividing breast

and uterine cells and levels of the estrogen produced by the body—

all markers for cancer risk.

Monkeys on the soy plus estrogen diet had increased levels of all

markers, while monkeys that ate soy with isoflavones had lower

levels of the estrogen produced by the body.

" These findings suggest that high dietary levels of soy isoflavones

do not increase markers for breast and uterine cancer risk in

postmenopausal monkeys and may contribute to an estrogen profile

associated with reduced breast cancer risk, " say the researchers.

http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/89/5/2319

Adrenocortical Effects of Oral Estrogens and Soy Isoflavones in

Female Monkeys

E. Wood, J. Mark Cline, S. , C. Register

and Jay R. Kaplan

Comparative Medicine Clinical Research Center, Wake Forest

University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-

1040

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: E.

Wood, D.V.M., Comparative Medicine Clinical Research Center, Wake

Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard,

Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157-1040. E-mail: chwood@....

The goal of this study was to evaluate the long-term adrenocortical

effects of premenopausal oral contraceptives (OC) and postmenopausal

conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) and soy isoflavones in a female

cynomolgus monkey model. Half of the animals received a triphasic OC

for a period of 26 months, after which all monkeys were

ovariectomized and randomized to one of three diet groups for 36

months: 1) isoflavone-depleted soy protein (control) (n = 54); 2)

soy protein with isoflavones (129 mg/d equivalent) (SPI+) (n = 56);

or 3) isoflavone-depleted soy protein with CEE (0.625 mg/d

equivalent) (n = 59). In the premenopausal phase, OC treatment

resulted in significantly higher cortisol (F) and lower

dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione, and testosterone

relative to intact controls. In the postmenopausal phase, CEE

treatment resulted in significantly higher basal F and lower

dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione, and testosterone

when compared with control and SPI+ diets. Serum F and androgens in

the SPI+ group did not differ significantly from the control group.

The SPI+ group had significantly lower adrenal weight than either

control or CEE groups, and this effect was localized primarily to

the zona fasciculata region of the adrenal cortex. These findings

suggest that long-term estrogen treatment may contribute to an

androgen-deficient and hypercortisolemic state.

This work was supported, in part, by Program Project Grant HL-45666

from the NIH/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda,

land (to J.R.K.), by the NIH/National Center for Complementary

and Alternative Medicine R01-AT00639 (to J.M.C.), and by the

NIH/National Center for Research Resources T32 RR 07009 (to C.E.W.).

Abbreviations: A4, Androstenedione; BMI, body mass index; BW, body

weight; CEE, conjugated equine estrogen(s); DHEA-S,

dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate; E2, 17ß-estradiol; ER, estrogen

receptor(s); F, cortisol; H & E, hematoxylin and eosin; OC, oral

contraceptive(s); SPI–, soy protein depleted of isoflavones;

SPI+, soy protein with isoflavones; T, testosterone.

[Guest guest]

Looks like we're back to 'balance' again and thoughtfulness rather than hysteria

or a desire to jump on the Internet bandwagon every time we read something. I

think back now about how people are so afraid of a CT-Scan when its usefulness

in determining where we are at a given point, can be life-saving by putting us

on notice. This doesn't mean, however, indiscriminating and regularly routine

Scans. Fifty Eight (58) boy am I ancient, a VA Radiologist said, " you have

had your life's share of X-rays " and 50 years after he said that, I learn I have

Bladder cancer. Let's assume it caused the cancer, which nobody knows, it

took fifty years after my having a " lifetime exposure " . Hmmm.

Here we 'indoctrinated against medicine' kind of people have learned that

Tagamet (Cimetidine) can be useful against cancer and on and on.

We all know about SOY and GMO, but then there's Genestein in soy. I don't think

anyone is suggesting we eat Make-believe Soy Burgers and other fake-meat GMO soy

food, but where indicated, perhaps it can be useful. I don't always know when

that is, therefore my following statement.

What all of this tells me is that we need to continue to search, have an open

mind and, should any of us be in 'advanced' stages of cancer development, we

need to work with someone that knows what works and what doesn't.

Joe C.

From: VGammill

Sent: Monday, June 21, 2010 4:02 PM

Subject: [ ] soy and breast cancer

List,

In reviewing current medical literature (mostly human studies) on the

feared relationship between soy/genistein and breast cancer, I fail

to find anything alarming. I am not a fan of GMO soy, but I do find

many components of soy that are characterized by fear mongers as

horrible, are in fact quite useful for fighting cancer. One site

suggested on this list vilified the phytic acid component in soy. In

the general lack of balance or fairness in the article they neglected

to mention that the Satanic mineral-depleting phytic acid is the

selfsame compound as IP6 that has been beatified on other sites for

its miraculous cancer-fighting properties.

Others have suggested that only fermented soy should be used, but

this contains genistein which is in high concentration in Haelan, the

patented fermented soy drink that is used by many cancer patients who

can afford it.

About ten years ago I had a talk with Italian gynecologist-oncologist

Claudio D'Arrigo. We were both interested in the anti-cancer

properties found in pittosporum. He said that he found both

cancer-treating/preventing and cancer-causing/promoting compounds in

every plant he examined and he believed this to be a universal. At

the time I thought " those crazy Italians " but now I entertain some of

these same thoughts.

(abstracts below)

------------------

Nutr Cancer. 2009 Nov;61(6):792-8.

Early intake appears to be the key to the proposed protective effects

of soy intake against breast cancer.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Messina%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D>Messina

M,

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Hilakivi-e%20L%22%5BAuthor%5D>H\

ilakivi-e

L.

Loma University, Loma , California, USA. markm@...

Abstract

There is a large variation in breast cancer incidence and mortality

rates worldwide. Migration studies have indicated that this variation

is primarily the result of lifestyle influences. Although there has

been much research conducted, definitively identifying dietary

factors that impact breast cancer risk has proven difficult. In part

this may be because most clinical and epidemiologic studies have

focused on adult dietary exposure. However, evidence suggests that

childhood and/or adolescence is the period of life when the breast is

most sensitive to dietary influences. Further, the available

epidemiologic and animal data suggest that early soy intake reduces

breast cancer risk. Soy foods are unique dietary sources of

isoflavones, diphenolic compounds that exert estrogen-like effects

under certain experimental conditions. The protection effects of soy

may result from the soybean isoflavones stimulating differentiation

of the breast in much the same way that the elevated estrogen levels

do during pregnancy. More specifically, in rats, the primary

isoflavone genistein reduces mammary tumorigenesis and increases

mammary tissue differentiation by leading to a reduction in the

number of terminal end buds (TEB) and an increase in the number of

differentiated lobules. There is need and justification for continued

investigation of the early soy intake hypothesis, particularly to

determine the cellular targets of soy action and to identify the

signaling pathways mediating the effects on mammary gland morphology

and susceptibility to breast cancer.

PMID: 20155618 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

------------------------------------

Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 May;89(5):1673S-1679S. Epub 2009 Apr 1.

Perspectives on the soy-breast cancer relation.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Messina%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D>Messina

M, <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Wu%20AH%22%5BAuthor%5D>Wu AH.

Department of Nutrition, School of Public, Health, Loma

University, Loma , CA, USA. markm@...

Abstract

There has been considerable investigation of the potential for soy

foods to reduce risk of breast cancer. Initial enthusiasm for this

research was partially based on the historically low incidence rates

of breast cancer and high soy food intake in Japan. There are several

putative soybean chemopreventive agents, but most cancer research has

focused on isoflavones. Isoflavones possess both hormonal and

nonhormonal properties relevant to carcinogenesis. Recent

epidemiologic analyses indicate that among Asians high soy intake is

associated with an approximate one-third reduction in the risk of

both pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer. However, several lines of

evidence suggest that to derive maximum protection against breast

cancer, soy must be consumed early in life. This evidence is

consistent with the lack of significant effects noted in clinical

studies that have evaluated the effects of isoflavone-containing

products on breast cancer risk markers. Isoflavones may exert their

putative protective effects by stimulating breast cell

differentiation in a manner similar to that which is thought to occur

during early pregnancy. Finally, the ability of the isoflavone

genistein to stimulate the growth of mammary tumors in ovariectomized

athymic nude mice implanted with estrogen-sensitive breast cancer

cells has raised concern that soy foods, and especially isoflavone

supplements, are contraindicated for patients with breast cancer and

women at high risk of breast cancer. However, findings from clinical

studies, in which breast biopsies have been taken or breast tissue

density measured after isoflavone exposure, are reassuring and

contrast with the proliferative effects of conventional combined

hormone therapy, although understanding of the effect of soy and

isoflavones on breast tissues remains imprecise.

PMID: 19339397 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

----------------------------------------

J Epidemiol. 2010 Mar 5;20(2):83-9. Epub 2010 Feb 20.

Factors to consider in the association between soy isoflavone intake

and breast cancer risk.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Nagata%20C%22%5BAuthor%5D>Nagata C.

Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, Gifu University

Graduate School of Medicine, Yanagido, Gifu, Japan. chisato@...

Abstract

It has been suggested that soy isoflavones have protective effects

against breast cancer. However, data from epidemiological studies are

not conclusive. A recent meta-analysis showed that soy intake was

inversely associated with breast cancer risk in Asian but not Western

populations, which indicates that protection against breast cancer

may require that women consume levels of soy typical in Asian diets.

In addition to the amount of soy isoflavones consumed, the form and

food source of isoflavones, timing of isoflavone exposure, estrogen

receptor status of tumors, and equol-producer status and hormonal

profile of individuals may modify the association between soy

isoflavone intake and the risk of breast cancer. These factors might

explain the heterogeneity of results from studies. This present

report contrasts background data from Japanese and Western women to

identify the potential modifying of these factors.

PMID: 20173308 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

---------------------------

J Clin Oncol. 2008 Apr 1;26(10):1677-83. Epub 2008 Mar 3.

Plasma isoflavone level and subsequent risk of breast cancer among

Japanese women: a nested case-control study from the Japan Public

Health Center-based prospective study group.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Iwasaki%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D>Iwasaki

M,

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Inoue%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D>Inoue

M,

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Otani%20T%22%5BAuthor%5D>Otani

T,

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Sasazuki%20S%22%5BAuthor%5D>Sasazuki

S,

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Kurahashi%20N%22%5BAuthor%5D>Kurahas\

hi

N,

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Miura%20T%22%5BAuthor%5D>Miura

T,

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Yamamoto%20S%22%5BAuthor%5D>Yamamoto

S,

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Tsugane%20S%22%5BAuthor%5D>Tsugane

S;

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Japan%20Public%20Health%20Center-bas\

ed%20prospective%20study%20group%22%5BCorporate%20Author%5D>Japan

Public Health Center-based prospective study group.

Epidemiology and Prevention Division, Research Center for Cancer

Prevention and Screening, National Cancer Center, 5-1-1 Tsukiji,

Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0045, Japan. moiwasak@...

Abstract

PURPOSE: Because they have large variations in consumption, Asian

countries are suitable settings for studies of the effect of

relatively high-dose isoflavone intake on breast cancer risk.

Nevertheless, no prospective study from Asia has assessed blood or

urine levels as biomarkers of isoflavone intake. PATIENTS AND

METHODS: A total of 24,226 women ages 40 to 69 years in the Japan

Public Health Center-based prospective study who responded to the

baseline questionnaire and provided blood in 1990 to 1995 were

observed to December 2002. During a mean 10.6 years of follow-up, 144

patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer were identified. Two

matched controls for each patient were selected from the cohort.

Isoflavone levels were assessed by plasma level and food frequency

questionnaire, and the odds ratio of breast cancer according to

isoflavone level was estimated using a conditional logistic

regression model. RESULTS: We found a statistically significant

inverse association between plasma genistein and risk of breast

cancer, but no association for plasma daidzein. Adjusted odds ratios

for the highest versus lowest quartile of plasma level were 0.34 for

genistein (95% CI, 0.16 to 0.74; P for trend, .02) and 0.71 for

daidzein (95% CI, 0.35 to 1.44; P for trend, .54). Median plasma

genistein values in the control group were 31.9 ng/mL for the lowest

and 353.9 ng/mL for the highest quartile groups. Regarding dietary

intake of isoflavones, nonsignificant inverse associations were

observed for both genistein and daidzein. CONCLUSION: This nested

case-control study found an inverse association between plasma

genistein and the risk of breast cancer in Japan.

PMID: 18316793 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

---------------------------

Br J Cancer. 2008 Jan 15;98(1):9-14. Epub 2008 Jan 8.

Epidemiology of soy exposures and breast cancer risk.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Wu%20AH%22%5BAuthor%5D>Wu

AH,

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Yu%20MC%22%5BAuthor%5D>Yu

MC,

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Tseng%20CC%22%5BAuthor%5D>Tseng

CC,

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Pike%20MC%22%5BAuthor%5D>Pike MC.

Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine,

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9175, USA.

annawu@...

Abstract

Most of the early studies published on soy and breast cancer were not

designed to test the effect of soy; the assessment of soy intake was

usually crude and few potential confounders were considered in the

analysis. In this review, we focused on studies with relatively

complete assessment of dietary soy exposure in the targeted

populations and appropriate consideration for potential confounders

in the statistical analysis of study data. Meta-analysis of the 8 (1

cohort, 7 case-control) studies conducted in high-soy-consuming

Asians show a significant trend of decreasing risk with increasing

soy food intake. Compared to the lowest level of soy food intake

(<or=5 mg isoflavones per day), risk was intermediate (OR=0.88, 95%

confidence interval (CI)=0.78-0.98) among those with modest (

approximately 10 mg isoflavones per day) intake and lowest (OR=0.71,

95% CI=0.60-0.85) among those with high intake (>or=20 mg isoflavones

per day). In contrast, soy intake was unrelated to breast cancer risk

in studies conducted in the 11 low-soy-consuming Western populations

whose average highest and lowest soy isoflavone intake levels were

around 0.8 and 0.15 mg per day, respectively. Thus, the evidence to

date, based largely on case-control studies, suggest that soy food

intake in the amount consumed in Asian populations may have

protective effects against breast cancer.

PMID: 18182974 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Guest guest]

Processed soy is just as toxic as the " standard American diet " that is what is

so scary about it. Through deceptive advertising Americans have come to believe

that SOY is a miracle health food. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Asian's consume soy mostly fermented as a condiment not as a substitute for

protein as we do in the U.S.. I just want to educate people. Sure eating

anything on rare occasions won't kill anyone. I will admit... I go crazy every

once in a while and have a custard filled donut... pure poison , but boy doesn't

taste good. Fortunately those once in a whiles are fewer and fewer in between.

Before I was educated, before I was diagnosed with CANCER I was a big

carnivore, oh I loved my veggies but meat mostly RED was a must at every meal.

Oppppppps I got cancer and began to research alternative treatments and a whole

new world has opened up and I have learned so much about our diet and it saddens

me to know how ignorant most of us are about what we feed ourselves and our

children!!!!! I could go on and on ... obesity, diabetes, cancer... we all

know...... time to get educate or die as I see it. NO joke... the average

american diet is killing us slowly but surely. Sugar , processed foods,

hydrogenated anything, white anything, and yes most soy products !!!!!! it is

not a good thing.... Please do some research. I yi yi people.....

Be Well,

Vicki

> >

> >Soy that has not been fermented is a poison !

>

> Vicki, I think that you are overstating the case. How is unfermented

> soy more toxic than the standard American diet that is saturated with

> high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, preservatives, colorants,

> bromide " conditioners, " BPA, fluoride, genetically-modified

> mysteries, antibiotics and endocrine disrupters? Unfermented soy is

> less toxic than virtually all the millions of lbs of medicines that

> Americans lap up each year.

>

> Sure there are thousands of healthier things to eat than unfermented

> soy and almost all of them taste better too. Having a few chunks of

> tofu in your miso is such an absolute non-issue compared to the

> smarmy financial relationship of the B. Komen Foundation and

> Kentucky Fried Chicken.

> http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/fast-food/kfc-susan-komen-deceptive-ad-c/

>

> What's next, the American Cancer Society slipping into bed with

> Marlboro cigarettes?

>

>

>