r/endometrialcancer • u/Mercury2468 Stage IA • 13d ago
Phytoestrogens?
For those of you with estrogen sensitive cancers, I was wondering what advice (if any) you were given about phytoestrogens and how you handle them. Do you actively avoid them (because cancer)? Do you eat more of them than before (to help with menopause symptoms)? Do you just eat the same as before and not worry about them at all?
For context, I was diagnosed with endometrioid adenocarcinoma grade 1 stage 1a after my hysterectomy in late May and had my ovaries removed 3 weeks ago. My tumor was sensitive to both estrogen and progesterone. Obviously no HRT for me, but I've been given contradicting advice about phytoestrogens by my doctors. Some say it's safe (low risk cancer, and phytoestrogens have a much weaker effect than estradiol) and a great natural way to alleviate menopause symptoms naturally, others say it's better to avoid them to be on the safe side.
Phytoestrogens are found in soy, chickpeas, lentils, some types of beans, flax, sesame, berries, wheat, rye, almonds and many other foods. I would honestly struggle to avoid them all and still have a healthy balanced diet, especially as a vegetarian. So far, I've been eating the same as always, but I feel really conflicted about this so I'm curious how others are handling this, and whether this is a concern for you at all or if I'm just overthinking things.
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u/sugarhai 13d ago
my doctor said those foods are fine and that even hrt is fine at stage 1a and that I can do hrt now but I decided to wait a few years to make sure I don't have a recurrence then maybe I'll try it if I feel like I need it