Nuclear receptors - target molecules for isoflavones in cancer chemoprevention.

Breast cancer is the most occurring type of cancer among women. In Slovakia, there are yearly diagnosed about 1900 new cases of this disease. Breast cancer treatment is very expensive, psychic stressful and in some cases ineffective. Therefore, it is essential to search for new and/or alternative methods for breast cancer treatment, since nuclear receptors are considered to be a central goal for maximizing treatment opportunities in breast cancer. Among natural ligands for estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ), which are member of nuclear receptors superfamily, belongs also isoflavones. These natural compounds have similar structure to main female hormon-17β estradiol. A rich source of isoflavones is soy and its products. Three aglycones form of isoflavones (genistein, daidzein, glycitein) are predominantly found in soybean and red clover. Among other important isoflavones belongs also biochanin A and formononetin.