A correlation between an increased intake of isoflavones and protection from endometrial cancer was observed in case control studies in at least five studies with a total of 3,551 patients and 3,781 controls (Bandera et al. 2009; Goodman et al. 1997; Dai et al. 2001; Horn-Ross et al. 2003; Xu et al. 2004). In contrast, the same effect was not found for the regular consumption of tofu in 679 patients and 944 population controls (Littman et al. 2001). The opposite question, i.e. the search for a potentially increased risk with tofu-rich diet, was answered in favour of soy in a large study with 26,896 participants: an increased risk of endometrial carcinoma was not observed (Hirose et al. 1996).
Download:
Table: Epidemiological data on isoflavones and endometrial cancer
References
Bandera, E. V., Williams, M. G., Sima, C., Bayuga, S., Pulick, K., Wilcox, H., Soslow, R., Zauber, A. G., and Olson, S. H. (2009). Phytoestrogen consumption and endometrial cancer risk: a population-based case-control study in New Jersey. Cancer Causes Control 20 (7): 1117-1127.
Dai, Q., Shu, X. O., Jin, F., Potter, J. D., Kushi, L. H., Teas, J., Gao, Y. T., and Zheng, W. (2001). Population-based case-control study of soyfood intake and breast cancer risk in Shanghai. Br. J. Cancer 85 (3): 372-378.
Goodman, M. T., Wilkens, L. R., Hankin, J. H., Lyu, L. C., Wu, A. H., and Kolonel, L. N. (1997). Association of soy and fiber consumption with the risk of endometrial cancer. Am J. Epidemiol. 146 (4): 294-306.
Hirose, K., Tajima, K., Hamajima, N., Takezaki, T., Inoue, M., Kuroishi, T., Kuzuya, K., Nakamura, S., and Tokudome, S. (1996). Subsite (cervix/endometrium)-specific risk and protective factors in uterus cancer. Jpn J. Cancer Res. 87 (9): 1001-1009.
Horn-Ross, P. L., John, E. M., Canchola, A. J., Stewart, S. L., and Lee, M. M. (2003). Phytoestrogen intake and endometrial cancer risk. J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 95 (15): 1158-1164.
Littman, A. J., Beresford, S. A., and White, E. (2001). The association of dietary fat and plant foods with endometrial cancer (United States). Cancer Causes Control 12 (8): 691-702.
Xu, W. H., Zheng, W., Xiang, Y. B., Ruan, Z. X., Cheng, J. R., Dai, Q., Gao, Y. T., and Shu, X. O. (2004). Soya food intake and risk of endometrial cancer among Chinese women in Shanghai: population based case-control study. BMJ 328 (7451): 1285
