Hot off the press, More on Soy re:cancer

[Guest guest]

Soy Phytoestrogens - They Can Actually Promote Cancer

12-7-99

Do phytoestrogens prevent cancer? The evidence to support the industry

claim is scant and recent work indicates that phytoestrogens may actually

increase the risk of breast cancer.

HOT OFF THE PRESS is an article from Japan in whichthe author proposes a

link between the soy phytoestrogen genistein and infantile leukemia.

Infantile Leukemia And Soybeans - A Hypothesis

Leukemia 1999, 13:317-20

Abstract: Recent molecular-genetic studies have revealed that in the

majority of patients with secondary leukemia induced by topoisomerase II

(topo II) inhibitors and also with infantile acute leukemia (IAL), the

breakpoints are clustered within scaffold attachment regions (SARs) of

3'-MLL-bcr near exon 9. Genistein, abundant in soybeans, is reported to be

a potent nonintercalative topo II inhibitor. It interferes with the

break-reseal reaction of topo II by stabilizing a cleavable complex, which

in the

presence of detergents, results in DNA strand breaks. The present study

revealed that genistein induced chromatid-type aberrations, in which

chromatid exchanges are often observed. Genistein seems to act in a manner

very similar to that of VP-16, although the latter is reported to produce

both chromatid- and chromosome-type aberrations. In view of this

pharmacological similarity between genistein and VP-16, and also the

similarity of breakpoint clustering regions within the MLL gene in reported

cases with secondary leukemia and IAL, genistein may be largely responsible

for the development of IAL.

Earlier work by Manfred Metzler has already shown that genistein is a

potential clastogen; Metzler's work has been reported in the following

articles "

Genotoxicity Of Estrogens.

By Metzler M, Kulling SE, Pfeiffer E and s E. Z

Source: http://www.sightings.com/health3/soyp.htm