A new study indicates that the non-smokers and consumers of soy have a lower risk of lung cancer. Researchers stated in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that soy has isoflavones, identically functional as hormone estrogen with anti-cancer qualities that respond to cancers of the breast and prostate. Also the lung-cells have properties that react to isoflavones.

Almost 36,000 Japanese men and more than 40,000 Japanese women aged 45 to 74 years old and free of cancer were studied by Dr. Taichi Shimazu and his colleagues of the National Cancer Center in Tokyo.

In this study, food intake, smoking status, medical history, and other lifestyle factors of the people involved were noted. During the 11 years of the study (1995 and 1999), overall rates of lung cancer were less. About one in 75 men and one in 225 females were diagnosed with cancer. Among 13,000 non-smoker men who ate least soy, there were 22 lung cancer cases and only 13 lung cancer cases were found in those who ate the most.

Authors of this study say that the current study did not collect data on isoflavone supplement or second-hand smokers. So, these findings should be confirmed among Japanese and other populations. No eating-behavior change has yet been suggested by this study.