Flaxseed

Flaxseed is being discussed on another thread, but just wanted to say there is evidence to suggest - and research to show, which I am not allowed to post - that flaxseed may be a tumour suppressor.

My breast surgeon has no objections to my continuing to take it for my ER+/PR+/HER2+ bc and when shown the research, certainly didn’t pooh-pooh it.

Mcgle

PS I am NED two years out.

Is that the study that Goss did where he gave women the flaxseed muffins while they awaited their breast cancer surgery and then compared them to a non-flaxseed muffin group?

The only thing I would wonder is what the effect would be after a few years in an er+/pr+ tumour. On the other hand, that study also indicated that the flaxseed muffin group had a lowered her2+ level, which is relevant if you have a her2+ tumor.

Hello mcgle,

Please feel free to send me (via the moderator email link) the link to the research you mention and I will happily check the content and link to ensure it does not break our terms and conditions- if it does not then we would be happy for you to post the link here.

In relation to taking flaxseed it is great that you have consulted your breast surgeon about taking this supplement, and even better news to read that you have been No Evidence of Disease for 2 years.

From the information I have read about Flaxseed there is some evidence to suggest that it may act as a tumor suppressor, however there have not been sufficient human clinical trials to establish this as a therapeutic treatment.

If you would like further information about complementary therapies Breast Cancer Care have produced a booklet that you may find useful the direct link is;

www.breastcancercare.org.uk/docs/complementary_therapies_aug07_0.pdf

Kind regards

Tara
Clinical Nurse Specialist

There is a book called ‘Foods to Fight Cancer’ and flaxseed is included. The book says not to take soya products if you have had breast cancer because the research is confusing on this, but there is nothing to say not to take flaxseed.

Christine - one of the articles refers to flaxseed muffins, so this may be what you are thinking of.

Tara - I will do as you suggest.

I also omitted to say that these pieces of research refer to postmenopausal bc patients who are HER2+. But I believe chemo often leaves women in early menopause, so perhaps they would benefit.

For the record, I had been taking flaxseed for a couple of years prior to dx and my HER2+ tumour hadn’t gone anywhere, so no chemo or herceptin. The only thing I can put this down to is the flaxseed.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a simple, natural substance such is this could one day be included in the arsenal to fight bc?

Mcgle

With the approval of BCC, I now post these links:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15897583?dopt=Abstract

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17134970?dopt=abstractplus

Although not conclusive, I am convinced about the benefits of flaxseed.

Mcgle

Bringing this up to the top again for ChristineMH and others who may be interested.

Thanks so much for the information Mcgle much appreciated.
Ruby

Thank you for replying, Ruby. The more we can pass on potentially useful information, the better.

Mcgle

Mcgle - this is interesting. Can I ask how strongly ER/PR positive you were?

Thanks
Anthi

Sure, Anthi.

ER+ (8/8)
PR+ (6/8)
HER2+ (just)

Mcgle

Many thanks Mcgle

Take care

Anthi

Can anyone tell me please how much Flaxseed you need to take daily and do you have to grind the seeds.

Many thanks

Sally

I put about a dessertspoonful on my cereal.

I buy the raw seeds, and grind them in a coffee mill (much cheaper than the already ground ones).

Mcgle

Hi Girls

Just read your interesting postings, could you please let me know if it’s ok to take flaxseed if you are ER+ as I thought that I was told that it was a phytoestrogen and therefore not good for the likes of me?
Debbie x

To answer your question, Debbie, I found this on another site.

"Lignans are present in every plant food that we eat, only more
concentrated in flax and therefore commercially more viable to extract.

Lignans are phytoestrogens, but they are very weak and only elicit a
very weak estrogenic response. The current research suggests that the
advantage of this is the body detects them as estrogens (which produce a
strong estrogenic response) and therefore produces less harmful
estrogens (homoeostatic process) through inhibition of the aromatase
enzymes, more SHBG to bind estrogens (for elimination from the body) and
increases the conversion of estrogens to the 2OHE metabolism pathway
over the 16OHE (by increasing CYP1A1 enzymes). This whole process has a
cyclic effect with the end result being less bioavailable estrogen
(harmful), increased 2OHE (protective), and decreased 16OHE (harmful)."

Mcgle

Bringing this up to the top again for Debbie.

Hi Ladies,
I have been reading these postings about flaxseed with great interest. I have taken myself off Tamoxifen and Aromasin as I was suffering with very unpleasant side affects. I do still worry about a re occurrence though. So anything that will help with the bc coming back, especially if its natural, I would deffinately try! Would anyone know, which source of flaxseed is best to take? oil, capsules or the seeds. If seeds or oil, what is the recommended dose? My cancer was ER strongly positive.
Also can anyone tell me what are flaxseed muffins? And one last question, which is the best place to buy the flaxseed from?
I will also mention this to the onc, when I see him next month to discuss my meds!

Many thanks in advance,

Cynthia

Cynthia

Very strongly ER+, like you.

I alternate with flax oil one day and flaxseed the next - about a dessertspoonful on my cereal.

Flaxseed can be purchased from health food shops as well as Tesco. I grind mine in a coffee mill - much cheaper than the ready ground version.

Mcgle

Many thanks Mcgle, I will certainly give it a try, as I do feel a bit vulnerable now I’m completely off the meds!

I have an old fashioned coffee mill that I havn’t used for yonks, that will grind the seed,

Cynthia