Consumption of soy products are beneficial and safe, and can even increase the survival rate among breast cancer patients.

One of the healthiest foods that a human can consume is soy products, but these foods also have the so-called "estrogen-like" property that increases the risk of estrogen level among patients that have breast cancer. The hormone receptor-positive cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease, in which, high consumption of estrogen may help the cancerous cell to grow and spread with breast cancer patients.

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However, Fang Zhang, MD, Ph.D., of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University explained that the major component of soy food products; Isoflavones, decrease the rate of growth of breast cancer cells to patients. Also, the analysis among East Asian women with breast cancer who consume a high amount of isoflavones has decreased the rate of mortality.

To make it even more clear, Dr. Zhang together with her colleagues, conducted a study about the relationship between isoflavones and 6,235 Canadian and American death from any cause of breast cancer patients. In the median follow-up for nine years, the result shows that breast cancer patients who consumed high amount of isoflavones decreased the risk of dying by 21 percent than those who don't.

Soy products do not bring any harmful effects to patients with breast cancer, and those who are receiving endocrine therapy. Consumption of soy products may be beneficial and have protective effects on women that have hormone receptor-negative breast cancer, Dr. Zhang noted.

Although it is still unclear on how isoflavones make an interaction with breast cancer cells, research revealed that it is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-angiogenic.

The United States is the number one leading producer of soy products in the world, and it is in the position to encourage lifestyle changes. Soy products already present any evidence that it can prevent breast cancer. Therefore, they highly recommended especially for women because of its healthy and beneficial effect, says Omer Kucuk, MD, from Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.