TALKS ON CANCER, SOYBEANS START TODAY

The University of Missouri, Cape Girardeau County University Extension Center at Jackson, and the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council will sponsor three programs this week on, "The Soy Connection -- Preventing Cancer with Soybeans."

The featured speakers at each program will be Dr. Mark Messina, former director of the Diet and Cancer Branch of the National Cancer Institute.

The first program will be held today at 1:30 p.m., at the Cape Girardeau Senior Citizen Center, 921 N. Clark Ave.

The second will begin tonight at 7 at the Commerce Bank community meeting room, at the intersection of Broadview and Route K.

The third program will be held Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Jackson Kngiths of Columbus Hall, located on Highway 61.

"These programs will be of interest to the general public and to farm families," said Gerald Bryan, extension agronomist at the jackson extension center. "The programs are identical, so you can choose the one that best suits your schedule."

All of the prgrams are free.

Bryan said the speaker will explain the relationship between soybean consumption and blood cholesterol levels and the risk of cancer, the potential role of soyfoods for preventing and treating cancer; and the potential role of soyfoods in preventing and/or treating kidney disease.

Messina received a master's degree in nutrition from the University of Michigan in 1982, and a Ph.D. in nutrition from Michigan State University in 1987. His doctorate research involved the effects of cruciferous vegetables on colon cancer.

From 1987 to 1992, Messina was program director in the Diet and Cancer Branch of the National Cancer Institute.

Since leaving the institute, he has devoted full time to the study of the health benefits of soyfoods.