Soy May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk

Sep. 30, 2002 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study shows a link between soy and a reduced risk of breast cancer. Maureen Sanderson, Ph.D., from the University of Texas-Houston, School of Public Health at Brownsville, presented the study at this week's "Era of Hope" Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program meeting in Orlando, Fla.

Nearly 800 women participated in the study to examine whether consumption of soy food in adulthood would interact with insulin like growth factor-1. IGF-1, a hormone, has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer in pre-menopausal women. Results show soy eaters with high levels of IGF-1 who consumed high amounts of soy lowered their risk of breast cancer compared to women with high IGF-1 levels and low soy consumption.

In an interview with Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Sanderson said it's too early to tell whether consuming large amounts of soy decreases your risk of breast cancer. She said: "[Soy] may only be effective in a subgroup of women. More research needs to be done to confirm our findings."

Sanderson's research is part of the larger Shanghai Cancer Institute Breast Cancer study in China. Women in China consume more soy than women in the United States. About 3,000 women participated in the larger study, which was the first to look at adolescent intake of soy.