Cancer risk ?may be reduced by phytoestrogens?
29 Sep 2005
A diet rich in phytoestrogens appears to reduce the risk of lung cancer, say researchers at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in the US. Phytoestrogens ? isoflavones, lignans, and coumestans ?are found in a range of fruit, grains, and vegetables. Reporting in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr Matthew Schabath says study participants whose diets included the most phytoestrogens showed a 46 per cent reduction in risk of lung cancer. The researchers found that there are sex-specific differences both in intake and protective effects ? eg men tended to have more phytoestrogens in their diet and all types offer them protection, whereas this distinction does not hold in women.