Anyone Use Flax Seed Oil ?

At the very least I'd avoid taking it in large quantities or concentrates, out of an abundance of caution and a lack of a definitive answer as to the long term effects on ER positive breast cancer.  It's unfortunate, but seemingly positive preliminary work in ER+ breast cancer patients was never continued (to my knowledge).  We don't know the long term benefits or harm it could do.  Some work was done in Canada, that demonstrated a shrinking of tumors simply by eating a flax seed muffin prior to surgery, but the work didn't continue.  I tried to find any follow up and came up with a dead end.  The primary researcher appears to have left the field of "neutraceuticals" and went on to study SERMS for a pharmaceutical company.

You may want to go back and check your facts again. Item 1. I never said what studies made me believe anything. You ASSumed that. Item 2. I never argued a case for flax. I argued a case for evidence over opinions and snark.

In good faith, and because I didn't want to be accused of cherry-picking I showed you where the motherlode of studies were so you could verify it yourself. I didn't want you to take my word for it.  I hope you will get over the personal vendetta for your own sake and learn how to use the resources available. Your life may depend on being kind. At least others have benefited from the research tips. Me happy.

Anyway, to those who PMed me, who didn't want to get into the fray, I will continue any research tips this so others can learn how to use the database for their own research and feel confident in their choices. Thanks for hanging in there. I told you that research was like crack

Hi Cindy,

Thanks!   I spend a ton of time researching medical stuff, both for my job and for my own medical circumstances, so I'm happy to share and discuss what I've learned.  I appreciate your willingness to discuss and share too, in a rational and productive way - thanks!

In the case of flax seed, I'm triple negative and so the estrogenic properties aren't as much of an issue for me, but I am definitely interested in learning more about flax in relation to helping or hindering breast cancer so I'm always on the lookout for more info.

Based on what I have read -  I am taking a 1000milligram of flax seed oil capsule once a day  with my vitamins but I am avoiding eating flax seeds.     Flax seeds do seem to be in lots of "healthy products" so have to really work to avoid eating them.    I'm not sure but I think someone posted a question on the John Hopkins "ask the expert" site and the answer was ok for flax oil but to avoid flax seeds  if you are ER+.      

A quick update: I emailed my MO's nutritionist. She said that lignans might have anti-estrogenic properties and that taking 1-2 T a day appears to be safe.

The words "might" and "appears to be safe" were her phrases, and do not set my mind at ease.

I reread parts of the book I mentioned earlier (The Definitive Guide to Cancer) and their table claims that the BC+flaxseed combo has been studied in all five categories of studies, including human trials and randomized control trials. (FWIW, their table shows that Colon and Prostate cancer have had some studies but not all five categories).  The book has a ton of endnotes; perhaps the specific studies are listed there. I can't find them easily. They also have a table on drug interactions. Under antiestrogens (SERMs) it says "Flaxseeds and high-lignan flax oil support the actions of antiestrogens."  Flax is not mentioned at all for the AIs.

Another book "A Dietitican's Cancer Story" by Diana Dyer talks about flax, saying there are prelim studies that look promising but no studies on humans using tamox + flax. Here's a Q&A, including her personal experience, for people who care about that (personally, I'd prefer more hard data + studies that have been duplicated):

http://www.cancerrd.com/FAQs/FAQ77.htm

Anyway, none of this is making a solid case for me to keep with the flaxseeds. I'm going to keep researching (when I can) but in the short term I've made the decision to stop. I thought flaxseed was helping but it sounds like medical science doesn't know for sure...today.

http://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/11/10/3828.short 

 Purpose: Flaxseed, the richest source of mammalian lignan precursors, has previously been shown to reduce the growth of tumors in rats. This study examined, in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, the effects of dietary flaxseed on tumor biological markers and urinary lignan excretion in postmenopausal patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer.

Experimental Design: Patients were randomized to daily intake of either a 25 g flaxseed-containing muffin (n = 19) or a control (placebo) muffin (n = 13). At the time of diagnosis and again at definitive surgery, tumor tissue was analyzed for the rate of tumor cell proliferation (Ki-67 labeling index, primary end point), apoptosis, c-erbB2 expression, and estrogen and progesterone receptor levels. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were analyzed for lignans, and 3-day diet records were evaluated for macronutrient and caloric intake. Mean treatment times were 39 and 32 days in the placebo and flaxseed groups, respectively.

Results: Reductions in Ki-67 labeling index (34.2%; P = 0.001) and in c-erbB2 expression (71.0%; P = 0.003) and an increase in apoptosis (30.7%; P = 0.007) were observed in the flaxseed, but not in the placebo group. No significant differences in caloric and macronutrient intake were seen between groups and between pre- and posttreatment periods. A significant increase in mean urinary lignan excretion was observed in the flaxseed group (1,300%; P < 0.01) compared with placebo controls. The total intake of flaxseed was correlated with changes in c-erbB2 score (r = -0.373; P = 0.036) and apoptotic index (r = 0.495; P < 0.004).

Conclusion: Dietary flaxseed has the potential to reduce tumor growth in patients with breast cancer.

Ladies, I am not a scientist, so, I have not seen in the study how the flaxseed works on ER+ cancer. Any comments???

Melissa, thanks for the explanation in words more understandable:)

hillck,  yes, I think this has helped me conclude that everyday consumption of the oil is not a good thing due to uncertainty.  But I am thinking a little flaxseed ground in a muffin, won't hurt.  I was in the nurse's office the other day, she was the only one I have run into that is interested in even listening to me about studies.  I had told her I think we could be near a breakthrough with flaxseed, only if someone will address the issue in a serious study, we might get somewhere.  Her comment, tho, was that HER2+ studies have made current breakthroughs.  I addmitted that is most important, as that is harder to treat.

Welcome, Goodheart.  Well, I chose to stop the flaxseed oil, as my doctor says studies are inconclusive.  I was taking flaxseed oil for several years for dry eye.  Then, I was diagnosed with BC.  It obviously did me no good.  As I understand it, we have estrogen positive BC, and the flaxseed oil is close to being an estrogen compound. 

I will have to re-read the research. 

spam reported.

I used the seed while taking Tamoxifen which I was on for about 1 1/2 yrs.  I had read literature, from PubMed I think, (long time ago), that it enhanced the tamoxifen.  However, now that I'm on Aromasin I stay away from the oil and the seed.  But I think when I finish treatment I might go back on the seed.  Hopefully we'll hear something more definitive soon.