A diet rich in lignans may help prevent breast cancer in older women, a new French study suggests.
In the study, about 58,000 postmenopausal women not taking soy isoflavone supplements completed diet history questionnaires. Researchers used the data to assess the women’s intake of lignans, a type of plant estrogen found in foods such as flax seed, whole grain cereals, vegetables and fruits.
After an average of almost eight years of follow-up, the researchers documented almost 1,500 breast cancer cases. However, women with high lignan intake were 17% less likely to be diagnosed with two kinds of breast cancer than those with the lowest intake. The two kinds of breast cancer were estrogen-receptor positive and progesterone-receptor positive, which are among the most common types.
Women taking soy isoflavone supplements were excluded from the study because other research has already associated high soy consumption with a reduced risk of breast cancer.
Lignans are also available as a dietary supplement, typically from flax.
Source: J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007 Mar 21;99(6):475-86