Cruciferous veggies improve breast cancer survival: study

Thanks - this is significant info, as most US studies have implied that  DIM -(made from) the compounds found in cruc. veggies ) was previously thought mainly to benefit post menopausal women.  This study is showing it is beneficial for all ages.   I try to do a kale shake a day since I was diagnosed two years ago.  Cruc. sprouts are also much higher in the compounds throught to halt BC cells.   

Genetic differences between people of Chinese origin and people of other ethnic orgins can account for differences in response to an intervention. I'd be very careful of making too much of this. In addition, it appears to be a 36-month study (not a very long endpoint). It's a promising "start" but more study is surely warranted.

Also, it's good to remember that an "association" between one thing and the other is NOT necessarily the same as a cause-effect relationship.

But thanks for posting it. The potential anti-cancer benefits of broccoli have been known for a long time. Shortly after dx, I began drinking hot tea made of brocco sprouts until my Tamoxifen-induced hot flashes made that impossible.

Here is another report on the same study with some comments from researchers:

http://news.yahoo.com/veggies-broccoli-cabbage-may-help-fight-breast-cancer-180208892.html

"The risk of dying of breast cancer decreased by 22 to 62 percent for the cruciferous veggie eaters, and their chance of experiencing a recurrence of breast cancer dropped by 21 to 35 percent."



Does anyone else find these percentages really high, or am I reading this wrong? Is this really saying that without this type of veg, the risk of dying from BC was 84% across all stages and the risk of recurrence was 56%? Can this be true?



Angelfalls xx

We don't know. They don't identify who the "cruciferous veggie eaters" subgroup were - except to say that the entire study included all stages (not the same thing). No inferences should be made. I hate how studies are picked up by the media - they can be so misleading.

Also, "risk of dying" was within a 36-month period, which was the study period. We know nothing after that.

I think the media should tread more carefully when discussing studies. They show more caution with presidential polls - probably because campaign PR people are better at complaining to the editor than are bespectacled university researchers. Very irresponsible to treat medical-scientific findings this way. These studies really drive me nuts, the way they are peddled.

I hate to say this, but behind the rhetoric, we don't learn much of value here.

Thank you for listening to my rant. :-)

I ate a ton of cruciferious veggies before ending up with breast cancer, along with a lot of the other foods they say prevent cancer, so I don't quite buy this study. I am taking BroccoGen10 broccoli capsules just to err on the side of caution but I think that there may be a genetic component to this. Also, as noted by Evebarry, cruciferious veggies aren't good for people with thyroid issues. Over consumption can actually result in hypothyroidism apparently. I know we're all hoping for a magic bullet, but this study's precentages with respect to death seem questionable. If this study was correct, I would think all of our oncs would be calling to tell us to head to the grocery store.

That's interesting.  Do the Chinese have a remedy for cabbage-farts?  Oh, I'm serious.

Thanks for your explanation, Outfield. That makes much more sense!

Angelfalls

I'm eating more of these type of veggies since being dx with bc.  Also taking a supplement to boost the intake as well.  Diet and supplementation has become my first line of defense against bc.  Surgery removed the tumor and right now I'm NED.

Elimar, you just made me laugh so hard. Thanks ; )

I tried Dim-Plus and it appeared to effect my hypothyriod problem and I had to stop taking it. My thyriod medication had been stabls for over 20 years and after taking dim the tsh levels shot up.