Genistein: a soy isoflavone revealing a pleiotropic mechanism of action – clinical implications in the treatment and prevention of cancer
Adam Opolski 1 , Grzegorz Grynkiewicz 2 , Joanna Wietrzyk 1 , Czesław Radzikowski 3
Abstract
Genistein, a naturally occurring isoflavonoid, displays antitumor, antimetastatic and antiangiogenic properties, described in various experimental in vitro and in vivo models. The results of several epidemiological studies suggest that soybean consumption may contribute to lower incidence of breast, colon, prostate, thyroid, and head and neck cancers. This protective effect of soy consumption is attributed, among others, to genistein. On the other hand, genistein may enhance the proliferation of some estrogen-positive human breast cancer cells in vivo and the growth of mammary gland and mammary cancer cells in athymic mice. In this paper, various aspects of the diverse biological activities of genistein and their potential clinical implications, especially in the treatment and prevention of cancer, are reviewed and discussed.