Soy May Be Safe After Breast Cancer

Soy foods may be safe for women who have had breast cancer, a new study finds. In fact, they may live longer if they eat soy, the research suggests. Soy foods contain plant estrogens. Most breast cancers grow in response to estrogen. So many doctors have not recommended soy foods for breast cancer survivors. The study included more than 5,000 survivors in China. They were divided into groups based on how much soy they ate. Women in the low-soy group had about the amount in one-half cup of soy milk daily. Intake was three cups in the high-soy group. After four years, 7.4% of those who ate the most soy had died. The death rate was 10.3% for women who ate the least soy. Results were similar whether or not the women’s cancers were the type that grows in response to estrogen. The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association. USA Today wrote about it December 9.