clipped from: www.news.com.au January 14, 2007 12:00am
The Cancer Council NSW will issue guidelines today, warning about the dangers of high-soy diets and soy supplements for cancer patients and those people in remission from cancer.
At particular risk are people suffering from hormone-dependent cancers, including breast and prostate cancer - the two most common types of cancer in Australia.
Cancer survivors are also being urged to avoid high doses of soy, as they may be more vulnerable to a relapse.
Research has found high consumption of soy products can also limit the effectiveness of conventional medicines used to treat the disease.
"There is evidence to suggest that women with existing breast cancer or past breast cancer should be cautious in consuming large quantities of soy foods or phyto-oestrogen supplements," a position statement from the Cancer Council says.
"Women with current or past breast cancer should be aware of the risks of potential tumour growth when taking soy products.