Lignans Lower Breast Cancer Risk

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Lignans are phytoestrogens with antioxidant activity. Lignans are from the cell walls of plants and are found in a variety of foods, including flax seeds, soybeans, whole grain cereals, rye, broccoli, pumpkin seed and some berries. A recent prospective study, appearing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2007; 99(6): 475-86), analyzed the lignan intake of 58,049 postmenopausal French women. There was a link between lignan intake and lower breast cancer risk. Intake was assessed in the women, who were not taking any sort of soy isoflavone supplement, with a self-administered dietary history questionnaire. The women in the top quartile of lignan intake had a 17% lower risk of developing breast cancer than the women in the quartile with the lowest lignan intake.