Breast Cancer News 2017: Study Discovers Consumption of Soy Can Reduce Risk of Mortality

Consumption of soy for women with breast cancer has been a hotly debated topic in the last couple of years but a new study conducted by Tufts University seems to provide some much-needed clarity as researchers discovered that incorporating isoflavones into one's diet may have a positive effect.

Isoflavones are estrogen-like compounds that are typically found in soy-based foods. In the study published by medical journal Cancer, researchers gathered and analyzed data from 6,235 American and Canadian women with breast cancer. Results showed that consumption of foods with isoflavones was associated with a 21 percent decrease in all-cause mortality.

"At the population level, we see an association between isoflavone consumption and reduced risk of death in certain groups of women with breast cancer. Our results suggest, in specific circumstances, there may be a potential benefit to eating more soy foods as part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle," said lead researcher Fang Fang Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., a nutrition and cancer epidemiologist at Tufts University.

The researchers specified that these notable results were only observed in women with hormone-receptor-negative tumors and those who were not treated with endocrine therapy. The team also operationalized high consumption of isoflavones as participants who ingested 1.5 milligrams or more of isoflavone per day.

Due to the study's large sample size, researchers were able to evaluate across different ethnicities and subtypes of breast cancer. It was acknowledged that consumption of soy did seem to be influenced by one's socioeconomic status and lifestyle. Specifically, it was found that Asian Americans who were young and had more active and healthy lifestyles consumed the most soy.

These findings seem to be related to a previous study from Asia in which data from 5,042 Chinese women with breast cancer were analyzed. Results were similar in that those who consumed the most soy had more significant improvements after diagnosis and treatment.

Nevertheless, the new study from Tufts University provides empirical evidence that not only is it okay for women with breast cancer to consume soy but it may actually have a beneficial effect on their health and prognosis.