Grace

Donna,

My previous post did not include the Canadian numbers--I thought they were rather significant but didn't want to provide numbers unless I was sure they were correct.

Canadian scientists, following up on previous studies conducted in mice, enrolled women newly diagnosed with breast cancer as volunteers to study the effects of flaxseed on breast cancer progression. In this study, one flaxseed muffin a day, containing a predetermined concentration of pre-lignans, was consumed per day for 30 days. Tissue biopsies were preformed prior to and after the 30 day period. The results showed that the flaxseed pre-lignans, converted in the intestines by bacteria into powerful anti-cancer lignans, were extremely efficient, in low doses, in killing the breast cancer cells in these volunteer women.

The growth index in the cancer cells was reduced 34.2%, while the level of programmed cell death increased 30.7%. Women who expressed the HER2 (c-erbB2) metastatic oncogene saw its expression decrease by 71%.

I also saw today, March 22, on CNN that a recent study indicates that flaxseed may reduce breast cancer in women by 17%. Unfortunately, it went by too fast for me to record the group that did the research. Of course, every oncologist and every cancer clinic has its own view of what works best and we should do what makes us most comfortable. My observation is that American doctors, in general, are less open to alternative remedies than those in other countries. For whatever reason!

For those who can't afford herceptin, or those who must go off for heart problems, flaxseed at $7.00 a bag seems a good second best. If you plan to take flaxseed, here are some caveats:

Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil can spoil if they are not kept refrigerated. Some possible side effects include diarrhea, gas, and nausea. Flaxseed oil should not be used with other laxatives or stool softeners. People who have inflammatory disease or narrowing of the intestine, esophagus, or stomach should avoid flaxseed. Flaxseed is also not recommended by some doctors for people with diabetes. Some oral medications may not be absorbed properly if they are taken at the same time as flaxseed. For this reason, some doctors recommend taking medications 1 or 2 hours before or after flaxseed.

Flaxseed may also interfere with x-rays taken after a barium enema, and some doctors recommend avoiding flaxseed before undergoing this test.

You should check with your doctor before taking large amounts of flaxseed, as I did with mine. The Sloan Kettering website also has some interesting information on flaxseed and cancer.