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Paulette Chandler, M.D., M.P.H., is an associate physician in internal medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and a clinical instructor in the Department of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
For males, phytoestrogens do not appear to have any effect on hormone levels, sexual development, or fertility. Studies show that men consuming soy have better survival and a lower risk of prostate cancer. In comparison, meat products are fatty and devoid of fiber, so they boost the hormones that are linked to common forms of cancer. Meat also lacks protective nutrients found in plants. Large research studies have shown that vegetarians are about 40 percent less likely to develop cancer compared with meat-eaters. However, many vegetarians will overconsume soy in an effort to replace meat products at every meal. But soybeans tend to be higher in total fat than other beans. More processed soy products such as protein shakes and imitation meat products may not be as beneficial as the less processed items, like edamame, tofu, and tempeh. Some researchers believe that two servings of soy products per day are fine for women who have had estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer, while others discourage soy consumption completely for these women. Also, soy foods can interfere with the effectiveness of certain cancer medications, so speak to your physician before adding more soy to your diet. References: Barnard ND, Nicholson A, Howard JL. The medical costs attributable to meat consumption. Prev Med. 1995;24:646-655. Chang-Claude J, Frentzel-Beyme R. Dietary and lifestyle determinants of mortality among German vegetarians. Int J Epidemiol. 1993;22:228-236. Chang-Claude J, Frentzel-Beyme R, Eilber U. Mortality patterns of German vegetarians after 11 years of follow-up. Epidemiology. 1992;3:395-401. Ham JO, Chapman KM, Essex-Sorlie D, et al. Endocrinological response to soy protein and fiber in mildly hypercholesterolemic men. Nutr Res. 1993;13:873-884. Kurzer MS. Hormonal effects of soy in premenopausal women and men. J Nutr. 2002;132:570S-3S. Messina M, Barnes S. The role of soy products in reducing risk of cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1991;83:541-546. Strom BL, Schinnar R, Ziegler EE, et al. Exposure to soy-based formula in infancy and endocrinological and reproductive outcomes in young adulthood. JAMA. 2001;286:807-814. Thorogood M, Mann J, Appleby P, McPherson K. Risk of death from cancer and ischaemic heart disease in meat and non-meat eaters. Br Med J. 1994;308:1667-1670. The Cancer Project News, Winter 2008
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Are soy foods helpful or risky for cancer survivors and for males? 
Soy products have been shown to lower serum cholesterol levels, play a role in bone formation, and reduce estrogen activity in premenopausal women, reducing long-term cancer risk. However, some have questioned the safety of soy because it contains very weak plant estrogens called phytoestrogens.