Influence of isoflavones in soy protein isolates on development of induced prostate-related cancers in L-W rats.

Lobund-Wistar (L-W) rats are inherently susceptible to spontaneous and induced metastasizing adenocarcinomas in the prostate-seminal vesicle (P-SV) complex. L-W rats were fed soy protein isolates containing high isoflavones (genistein and daidzein) or low isoflavones to determine their effects on development of induced P-SV tumors in two stages of the tumorigenic process. In rats fed the high-isoflavone-supplemented soy diet before initiation by methylnitrosourea (MNU), the incidence of induced prostate-related cancer was reduced and the disease-free period was prolonged by 27% compared with rats fed the same diet but low in isoflavones. Rats fed the same diets, started after MNU, manifested suggestive but less consistent results than those noted above. The incidence rates were of marginal significance, suggesting that the high intensity of the active induced disease may not represent the character of the slower-growing spontaneous (natural) disease. The delay of disease onset is of clinical significance.