Flaxseed link to cancer prevention

Tuesday, October 15, 2002 -- Flaxseed has long been known to have many nutritional benefits. Those benefits include lowering cholesterol and triglycerides, and preventing constipation.

Recently, based on promising laboratory data, interest has grown in the possibility that regularly consuming flaxseed may also offer protection against hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast and prostate cancer.

Researchers are beginning to look more into this exciting connection, and a promising study in our area is seeking volunteers. Susan Sturgeon, an associate professor in the biostatistics and epidemiology department at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, recently received a grant to assess the role flaxseed might play as one means to lower the risk of developing breast cancer.

Sturgeon has more than 10 years of experience researching the role of hormones in breast cancer.

Making sense of the science

Flaxseed, an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fiber, is also the richest food source of lignans - and this is where scientists think its cancer-fighting properties might lie. Lignans are a type of phytoestrogen, which might protect against hormone-sensitive cancers such as those of the breast and prostate. Scientists have observed that high levels of lignans may be able to favorably alter levels of estrogens and other hormones in the normal hormonal milieu. In fact, several studies have shown that women who had high levels of lignans in their urine had a lower risk of breast cancer.

Based on these findings, Sturgeon and colleagues hope to determine if measurable changes can be observed in the level of estrogens and other hormones in blood and urine after women eat 1 to 2 tablespoons of flaxseed per day for three months.

Unfortunately, most breast-cancer risk factors cannot be prevented. But consuming ground flaxseed is one possibly beneficial factor that is easily controlled. Because the research in this area is scarce, Sturgeon's study is important to further our understanding of the role of flaxseed. Her research is on the cutting edge of preventive medicine, and this study could have a tremendous impact.

Her research team needs to recruit 50 subjects. They must be postmenopausal women, who have undergone natural menopause (defined as the cessation of menses for one or more years). They must also be nonsmokers who are not currently taking hormone replacement therapy, and have not been afflicted with any previous cancer (aside from skin cancer).

If you are interested in participating or have any questions about the project, please call registered dietitian and project manager Sara Sabelawski at 577-4298 or e-mail her at sara~nutrition.umass.edu.

Christopher R. Mohr is a registered and licensed dietitian/nutritionist and a doctoral student in the exercise physiology department at the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at crm12~pitt.edu.

http://www.gazettenet.com/10152002/health/861.htm

These guys are a little late to the party.
Dr. Johanna Budwig was onto this 50 years ago.
But - another study wouldn't hurt. Heck - have a lot of them.
Cancer has to be beaten!
Dr. Budwigs formula is - Flax Seed Oil & Sulphurated Proteins i.e Cottage Cheese, Yogurt, Buttermilk & Tofu...