Jordan University of Science and Technology
Soy Foods: Towards the Development of Novel Therapeutics for Breast Cancer
Authors:
Rosalia C.M. Simmen, Omar M. Rahal, Maria Theresa E. Montales,
John Mark P. Pabona, Melissa E. Heard, Ahmed Al-Dwairi, Adam R. Brown,
and Frank A. Simmen
Abstract:
Abstract The increasing cognizance that diet (and lifestyle) can modify breast
cancer risk and progression has motivated many breast cancer patients to take
increasing personal control of the direction of their therapies after diagnosis and
surgery. While this has certain advantages, including higher compliance to prescribed
drugs and improvements in emotional and mental well-being, it predicates
the need for increased understanding of the benefits of particular diets and dietary
regimen to the treatment programs and for improved translation of data obtained
from studies with animal models into clinical settings. Epidemiological studies
have linked high consumption of soy-rich foods to the lower incidence of breast cancer in Asia relative to that in Western countries. The potential of soy-rich foods
as breast cancer protective when dietary exposure occurs early in life, has resulted
in driving the use of soy and its associated bioactive components, specifically the
isoflavone genistein, as chemopreventive agents or as adjuvants to conventional
drug therapies. Bioactive components in soy foods may affect hormone and nonhormone-
mediated mechanisms. However, their overall biological outcomes
remain not well-understood and at times, contradictory, due to distinct physiological
contexts and doses of exposure, multiple targets, and inconsistent measures of
relevant endpoints. Here we provide an argument in support of the potential use of
soy foods for breast cancer patients based on the review of the current literature as
well as raise caveats that must be addressed for its successful application as
standard-of-care treatment.