Ovarian cancer and plant isoflavones in soy

[Frankiedoggo]

Was any of you guys told not to consume soy products because the isoflavones in it mimic estrogen?Boy how I miss my estrogen Couple of small trials suggested it could be beneficial in the absence of HRT. I was surprised that my consultant advised me to restrict soy and soy products!?!

[SuffolkJen]

Hi Frankiedoggo

I was advised to stop taking Evening Primrose Oil as it mimicked estrogen, as they couldn’t be sure it was safe for me. xx Jen

[Doggies221 in reply to SuffolkJen]

They can’t be sure that anything is safe, even drinking water. What to consume is prob best decided on benefits outweighing potential but uncertain negatives. Unfortunately, medical professionals rarely engage in weighing benefits v. Potential risks bc they’re not living in patients’ bodies, the easiest thing for them to say is don’t consume this don’t consume that bc I’m unsure if it’s safe.

[Frankiedoggo in reply to Doggies221]

So true! They don't even consider some things just say " not enough evidence"

[Doggies221 in reply to Frankiedoggo]

Some things are pure common sense but medicine is not a common sense science. For everything there has to be clinical trials but those are hard to perform and fund and when it comes to cheap interventions like HRT, no drug company sponsoring trials so “not enough evidence “. In the meantime, women’s QOL hangs in the balance and doctors hide behind the “not enough evidence.” That’s why, everyone should make their own decisions based on what they know.🤷‍♀️

[Frankiedoggo in reply to Doggies221]

I asked my doc if the cancer estrogen receptors are very specific for this hormone she said yes, then I asked her if estrogen from animal origin (my good old friend) has different structure compared to the plant derived phytoestrogen - she said yes plant substances have different structure. Then I asked her can the hormone receptor on cancer cells connect and utilise a totally different thing and she said it shouldn't! Then she said I am confusing myself and changed the topic very swiftly🙄😅 I suppose she too wants to avoid such situations and have more data. You are so right, there aren't enough money in funding trials for stuff like that. I was amazed how much research is there for the more common cancers. And of course, menopuose is very individual and it's a nuisance, nonetheless deserves attention, and answers. It is OK to want to have better quality of life...

[ZenaJ]

Hi, I wasn't told about any foods or drinks except when I had a bowel blockage and was told to eat a low fibre diet.

I eat a load of soy products and have done for years. I don't think it's affected me in any way.

It would be interesting to know what is the right thing to do. x

[bamboo89]

If your cancer was oestrogen sensitive, that would explain why your consultant said soya wasn't a good idea... I suggest you ask him/her.

[Frankiedoggo in reply to bamboo89]

Yes, it is estrogen sensitive but I can't help but wonder, could it be actually helpful if you are estrogen deficient!?! I just wish there was some more research on it, the ones that I found are very divided.

[bamboo89 in reply to Frankiedoggo]

Well look at it this way - one of the things feeding your cancer is oestrogen, therefore, keeping oestrogen out of the picture gives it one less thing to feed on. The lack of oestrogen won't make you feel fantastic at your age, but not having enough of it around won't adversely affect the cancer, just the rest of you, unfortunately.

[Doggies221 in reply to bamboo89]

So the rest of you is being slowly degraded and you’re not living fully bc of potential (but uncertain) effect of estrogen on cancer? Everyone weighs benefits and uncertainties differently. Also, the type of OC is an important consideration in these types of decisions.

[bamboo89 in reply to Doggies221]

Yep - ultimately it's your choice, but it is entirely possible to lead a good life without oestrogen.

[Frankiedoggo in reply to Doggies221]

That's exactly how I feel, in the majority of the menopause videos they only mention surgical meno spouse without HRT and it's all about how important hormones are for all body functions. At the end I thought how will I function without any estrogen! I freaked out so much!

[bamboo89 in reply to Frankiedoggo]

You made me laugh out loud😃 I never had HRT - couldn't have it because I''ve got a genetic clotting problem, nothing to do with cancer. Yea, the hot flushes were a pain in the butt, but not the end of the world - after all, many thousands of women got through menopause (however it was induced) before HRT and most managed to live good lives and reach a good age too, and still with a fully functioning brain! Menopause is not an illness.... Just a nuisance for a while, which as far as I was concerned was at least partially offset by not having to put up with periods any more. Personally, I was far more horrified at having to have chemo, which isn''t great for the body. Good luck with it anyway.

[Frankiedoggo in reply to bamboo89]

It's really good to hear that you are doing well without HRT, maybe I happened to watch all the wrong videos. Loved the fully functioning brain part🤣And yes! Not having periods and not worry about contraception is awesome! As my mum says let's " menopuose happily together" 😆

[Frankiedoggo in reply to bamboo89]

Thank you for your reply, I shouldn't have watched menopuose discussions online. Mostly about natural course of menopuose and trying to get people to accept HRT, By the end of it one feels doomed when not having HRT.

[Doggies221]

for what it’s worth, the 2025 NCCN guidelines on ovarian cancer say that a few trials have shown that HRT (which includes estrogen) in survivors have not shown reduced survival.

[Frankiedoggo in reply to Doggies221]

In all fairness I am doing OK after 2 surgeries, chemo and a stoma, but am just very worried if I end up with new issues.I hope I will be fit enough to go through 2 more surgeries to have the stoma reversed in the winter🤞