Lung cancer patients with high soy intake live longer

NEW results from a large observational follow-up study conducted in Shanghai, China, indicate that women with lung cancer who consumed more soy food prior to their cancer diagnosis lived longer than those who consumed less soy.

The study, published March 25 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, provides the first scientific evidence that soy intake has a favorable effect on lung cancer survival. JCO tri-monthly peer-reviewed journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the world’s leading professional society representing physicians who treat people with cancer.

“To our knowledge, this is the first study to suggest an association between high soy consumption before a lung cancer diagnosis and better overall survival,” said lead study author Gong Yang, MD, MPH, a research associate professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “Although the findings are very promising, it’s too early to give any dietary recommendations for the general public on the basis of this single study.”

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide, with only one in seven patients surviving for five years after diagnosis. Emerging evidence suggests that female hormones, particularly estrogens, may affect lung cancer outcomes. Soy contains isoflavones, estrogen-like substances that are also known to affect molecular pathways involved in tumor development and growth. A recent study by the same research team showed that high intake of soy food was associated with a 40% decrease in lung cancer risk.

This new study assessed the impact of soy intake on lung cancer survival among participants of the Shanghai Women’s Health Study, which tracked cancer incidence in 74,941 Shanghai women. Information on usual dietary intake of soy food (soy milk, tofu, fresh and dry soybeans, soy sprouts, and other soy products) was collected in-person at study enrollment and again two years later. Soy food and isoflavone content of various food products was calcuVêtements et équipement Lifestyle pour Femme