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Ground flaxseed is a high-fibre food that can help constipation. As a cancer treatment it has only small studies of tumour growth markers in prostate and breast cancer, and in a trial it did not reduce hot flushes in women with or without breast cancer. It has weak oestrogen-like effects, so people with hormone-sensitive breast cancer should ask their team before taking supplement doses.
Flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acids and lignans that act as weak phytoestrogens. Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs entry reports that flaxseed may lower tumour biomarkers and proliferation in small studies of men with prostate cancer and women with breast cancer, but it was ineffective at reducing hot flushes in postmenopausal women with or without breast cancer, a flaxseed extract did not prevent oral infection after head and neck radiotherapy, a lignan supplement did not reduce proliferation in breast tissue of premenopausal women at increased risk, and poor tolerability prevented any conclusion in a study of radiation lung protection. Laboratory and animal studies show inhibition of breast and prostate cancer growth and reduced chemotherapy cardiotoxicity. Outside cancer it has evidence for constipation, blood pressure and some metabolic measures. MSK advises people with oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer to consult their physicians because of its phytoestrogen content. Side effects are mostly digestive; case reports include anaphylaxis and gynaecomastia with flaxseed oil.
Lignans are converted by gut bacteria to enterolactone and enterodiol, weak oestrogen-receptor ligands that also alter oestrogen metabolism; the seed's fibre acts as a bulk laxative.
Query for this technology: (TITLE:"Flaxseed and flaxseed lignans" OR ABSTRACT:"Flaxseed and flaxseed lignans" OR TITLE:"Linseed" OR ABSTRACT:"Linseed" OR TITLE:"Linum usitatissimum" OR ABSTRACT:"Linum usitatissimum" OR TITLE:"Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside" OR ABSTRACT:"Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Flaxseed and flaxseed lignans, not a curated reading list.
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Shares Acupuncture for hot flushes on endocrine therapy, Dietary supplements during cancer treatment: interactions and harms, Evidence-based integrative oncology, Toxicity and quality of life are undervalued and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
Shares Pomegranate juice and extract, Dietary supplements during cancer treatment: interactions and harms, Evidence-based integrative oncology and the tags complementary, supportive-care.
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