If you are worried and tensed about the possible risk of breast cancer, I have a great suggestion for you! Why don’t you start the use of dietary soy to reduce the risk of breast cancer? It has been found in a study that the intake of dietary soy can curb breast cancer and lower its risk of occurrence. This report was published in a Journal of the American Medical Association.       

Xiao Ou Shu, MD, PhD who is from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee writes that "Soy foods are rich in isoflavones, a major group of phytoestrogens that have been hypothesized to reduce the risk of breast cancer," "However, the estrogen-like effect of isoflavones and the potential interaction between isoflavones and tamoxifen have led to concern about soy food consumption among breast cancer patients."

The study was carried out to find the relationship between the intake of dietary soy and breast cancer. In the popular Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study of 5042 female breast cancer survivors in China, women who were between the age of 20 to 75 years of age and who were diagnosed with the disease between March and April 2006 were recruited for the study. These women were later followed up in June 2009.

During this follow-up it was found that out of 5033 breast cancer patients who underwent surgery recorded 534 cases of recurrence and 444 cases of death. It was found that soy food intake had an inverse association with recurrence cases and also mortality. If you compare with the lowest quartile of soy protein intake, you will find that the hazard ratio for the highest quartile was 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54 - 0.92) for total mortality and 0.68 (95% CI, 0.54 - 0.87) for recurrence. Those women who were in the highest and lowest quartiles of soy protein intake, the multivariate intake the multivariate-adjusted 4-year mortality rates were 10.3% and 7.4%, and also the 4-year recurrence rates were 11.2% and 8.0%, respectively. Women who suffered from estrogen receptor–positive or even estrogen receptor–negative conditions of breast cancer were found to have this inverse association along with non users and users of tamoxifen.

The study author writes "Among women with breast cancer, soy food consumption was significantly associated with decreased risk of death and recurrence". In this population-based prospective study, it was found that soy food intake was absolutely safe and was associated with lower mortality and recurrence among breast cancer patients. The researchers further concluded by saying that  "The association of soy food intake with mortality and recurrence appears to follow a linear dose-response pattern until soy food intake reached 11 grams/day of soy protein; no additional benefits on mortality and recurrence were observed with higher intakes of soy food. This study suggests that moderate soy food intake is safe and potentially beneficial for women with breast cancer." 

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