By Marji McCullough, ScD, RD

Before writing a blog about soy and breast cancer, I took an informal poll of a few friends to get a sense of what women believe about soy.  I asked them, "What do you know about eating soy food?  Is it good for you? Not good for you?" (I didn't even mention breast cancer.)  The responses I got were,  "I think it acts like estrogen in the body"; "Consuming any soy products increases the risk of breast cancer"; "I don't eat it a lot because I heard something negative but I can't remember what it was;" and "I've heard you should only have it in moderation."  Apparently, people are hearing that soy may not be good. But what's the truth? In this blog I'll walk you through what we know and what we don't know about soy and breast cancer, and give you some practical tips on eating soy. More...

By Ted Gansler, MD, MBA, MPH

You have probably seen and heard a lot about breast cancer during the past few weeks, but as we approach the end of this year's breast cancer awareness month this is a good time to ask how much of the information you encountered is actually true. See if you know which of the following statements are true and which are false... More...

By Marji McCullough, ScD, RD

Can popping vitamin pills prevent cancer? The simple answer is no, based on what we know so far. In fact, some vitamin supplements have even shown harm. What I'm talking about mostly are pills containing individual nutrients in amounts that are greater than that found in food. Before you stop reading, thinking this is simply another "just eat your vegetables" message, let me give you a little history.

Toward the end of the last century, scientists observed that people with healthy diets, and with higher levels of certain phytochemicals ("phyto" for plant) in their bloodstream, such as beta-carotene, had lower rates of cancer. But observations don't prove cause and effect.

So, after careful evaluation of promising dietary compounds, the scientists began planning randomized, placebo controlled clinical trials ("RCTs") with tens of thousands of healthy people to see if taking supplements of individual phytochemicals could actually prevent cancer. RCTs are considered by most to be the gold standard for proving something works. Most of the supplements tested were antioxidants, which are chemical compounds that combat "free radicals" in the body that can damage DNA and possibly lead to cancer. More...

By Ted Gansler, MD, MBA

An e-mail message that may have come into your inbox recently claims that dangerous levels of a cancer-causing chemical (benzene) are released from the plastic surfaces of automobile interiors. The e-mail recommends opening the vehicle's windows to remove the benzene before using the air conditioner.

Although benzene is linked to leukemia, very little research has looked at whether the interior surfaces of cars release dangerous amounts of benzene, and the information that is available does not support the e-mail's claims. More...

By Katherine Sharpe, MTS

"It might be time to consider a clinical trial." I have heard this many times in my work with the American Cancer Society. Unfortunately, in most cases, people think of clinical trials as the option of last resort, so they consider one only when all other treatment options have failed.

But the truth is that clinical trials should always be considered as a treatment option. In fact, there are clinical trials for almost every type of cancer and stage of disease - there are even clinical trials for cancer prevention! Without clinical trials, we would see virtually no advances in cancer treatment. 

The good news is that more and more people are considering a cancer clinical trial when they are first diagnosed - and that helps speed up breakthroughs in cancer care. But there is clearly a need for more people to learn about and consider this option.

More...