> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Breast Cancer News:  Soluble dietary fiber prevents breast cancer in young women
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/breast_cancer_news_0428130910/
- Published: 2013-04-28T22:10:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:44:52.000Z
- Description: In a Connecticut case-control study of 557 breast cancer patients and 536 controls, premenopausal women eating the most soluble fiber had 62% lower breast cancer risk, and 85% lower risk of ER-negative disease. No link appeared in postmenopausal women.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Phytochemicals, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

By David Liu, PHD

Sunday April 28, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study in European Journal of Nutrition provides new evidence suggesting that eating a diet full of soluble dietary fiber helps reduce the risk for breast cancer, particularly ER- breast cancer, drastically in pre-menopausal women.

Pre-menopausal women are younger and breast cancer that develops in a young woman tends to be more aggressive for various reasons (ER-breast cancer has fewer treatment options than ER+ breast cancer) and any non-invasive preventative measure is highly desired.

The study led by Qian Li and colleagues found pre-menopausal women with the highest intake of soluble dietary fiber had their risk for breast cancer reduced by 62 percent, compared with those with the lowest intake.

Enrolled in the case–control study were 557 women with breast cancer and 536 controls residing in Connecticut. Intake of nutrients including dietary fiber was estimated for each participant based on information was obtained through in-person interviews with a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire.

The study shows that the reduction in the risk for estrogen receptor negative (ER-) breast cancer was particularly significant among pre-menopausal women who had the highest intake of soluble fiber. The risk for ER- breast cancer among premenopausal women who had the highest intake were 85 percent lower than that for those with the lowest intake of soluble fiber.

However, intake of neither soluble fiber nor insoluble fiber was found associated with breast cancer risk among post-menopausal women.

The study concluded "The results from this study show that dietary soluble fiber intake is associated with a significantly reduced risk of ER− breast cancer among pre-menopausal women."

This study suggests that diet plays a role in the risk of breast cancer and taking dietary fiber supplements or eating foods high in dietary fiber can help reduce the risk for ER- breast cancer in young women.

Foods high in soluble fiber include peas, soybeans, lupins and other beans, oats, rye, chia, and barley, some fruits and prune juice, plums, berries, ripe bananas, and the insides of apples and pears, broccoli, carrots, and Jerusalem artichokes, root tubers and root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and onions, psyllium seed husk, flax seeds, and nuts.

No one should expect that they can get any significant amount of dietary fiber from salads and even whole grains may not provide sufficient fiber. In general, 30 to 40 grams of dietary fiber per day are needed for an adult. Only some Americans may have intake of such an amount of fiber daily. Dietary fiber supplements are one good source for every one to use. 

The soluble fibers that may be available over the Internet include inulin oligofructose (help gut bacteria and boost immunity), mucilage or beta-glucans (lower bad cholesterol), pectin and gums (lower blood cholesterol), polydextrose polyols (add bulk to stools, help prevent constipation), psyllium (help lower cholesterol, prevent constipation), resistant starch (help manage weight by increasing fullness), wheat dextrin (lower cholesterol).

Breast cancer is expected in one in eight women in their lifetime in the United States. Each year, more than 230,000 women are diagnosed with the disease which kills more than 37,000 women annually in the country, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Breast cancer in many cases are preventable. Two major risk factors for breast cancer are hormone replacement therapy and medical radiation used in mammogram screening, CT scans, other diagnostic devices and radiotherapy, according to an authoritative organization.

Photo credit: wikipedia