Trial reportNutrition and cancer2014
A pilot study comparing the effect of flaxseed, aromatase inhibitor, and the combination on breast tumor biomarkers.
Trial report in Nutrition and cancer, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of Complementary Therapies in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Pooled it
- Can flaxseed "milk" prevent anthracycline mediated cardiotoxicity in women with breast cancer (CANFLAX-BC)?Cardio-oncology (London, England) · 2026Article
- Evidence-Based Perspectives on Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Cancer Treatment: Current Advances and Clinical Relevance.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2026Review
- Flaxseed in Diet: A Comprehensive Look at Pros and Cons.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Anti-Cancer Properties of Flaxseed Proteome.Proteomes · 2023Review
- Targeting Breast Cancer Stem Cells Using Naturally Occurring Phytoestrogens.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Review
- Exploring the Biological Activity and Mechanism of Xenoestrogens and Phytoestrogens in Cancers: Emerging Methods and Concepts.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Review
- Polyphenols Modulating Effects of PD-L1/PD-1 Checkpoint and EMT-Mediated PD-L1 Overexpression in Breast Cancer.Nutrients · 2021Review
- Dietary Phenolics against Breast Cancer. A Critical Evidence-Based Review and Future Perspectives.International journal of molecular sciences · 2020Review
- Flaxseed Lignans as Important Dietary Polyphenols for Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Chemistry, Pharmacokinetics, and Molecular Targets.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2019Review
- Mechanistic evaluation of phytochemicals in breast cancer remedy: current understanding and future perspectives.RSC advances · 2018Review
- The Effect of Flaxseed in Breast Cancer: A Literature Review.Frontiers in nutrition · 2018Review
- Phytotherapy and Nutritional Supplements on Breast Cancer.BioMed research international · 2017Review
- The relationship between phytoestrogen-rich supplements and breast cancer: A multicenter case-control study in Saudi Arabia.International journal of health sciencesArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Use of complementary approaches is common among breast cancer survivors. Potential interactions between aromatase inhibitors (AI) and high phytoestrogen foods, such as flaxseed (FS), are not often described. We conducted a pilot 2 × 2 factorial, randomized intervention study between tumor biopsy and resection, in 24 postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, to assess the effects of FS and anastrozole, and possible interactions between them, on serum steroid hormone and tumor-related characteristics associated with long-term survival (Roswell Park Cancer Institute, 2007-2010). The effect of each treatment vs. placebo on outcomes was determined by linear regression adjusting for pretreatment measure, stage, and grade. Although not statistically significant, mean ERβ expression was approximately 40% lower from pre- to postintervention in the FS + AI group only. We observed a statistically significant negative association (β ± SE -0.3 ± 0.1; P = 0.03) for androstenedione in the FS + AI group vs. placebo and for DHEA with AI treatment (β ± SE -1.6 ± 0.6; P = 0.009). Enterolactone excretion was much lower in the FS + AI group compared to the FS group. Our results do not support strong effects of FS on AI activity for selected breast tumor characteristics or serum steroid hormone levels but suggest AI therapy might reduce the production of circulating mammalian lignans from FS.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.