Red clover extract for premenopausal women with breast cancer taking tamoxifen
In this prospective double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial, 81 premenopausal women with non-metastatic ER+ breast cancer were given either a red clover extract at 80mg daily (n=42) or a placebo (n=39) for 24 months. All participants were receiving tamoxifen, and were also counseled on both physical activity and Mediterranean diet.
The red clover group had significantly greater improvements in waist circumference as well as BMI (p < 0.0001 for both). Aside from this, both groups experienced significant improvements in HDL (p = 0.01), menopausal symptoms (p < 0.0001), and breast density (p < 0.0001), suggesting that Mediterranean diet and exercise alone were responsible for these changes. Endometrial thickness did not change, and when serum from both groups was applied to ER+ breast cancer cells, there was no alteration in proliferation or estrogen-related gene expression.
It has been my practice to have women who are survivors of ER+ breast cancer avoid supplements containing phytoestrogenic herbs due to lack of safety data, so this (nonetheless small trial) is interesting to see.
Citation:
Ferraris et al. Red clover and lifestyle changes to contrast menopausal symptoms in premenopausal patients with hormone-sensitive breast cancer receiving tamoxifen. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2020 Jan 24.
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