Broccoli Study Holds Promise for Cancer Fight

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have discovered what they say is a potent chemical found in broccoli and related vegetables that appears to boost the cancer-fighting abilities of human and animal cells.

The researchers also believe the natural compound may not be particular about the types of cancer it prevents--possibly guarding against colon and prostate cancers as well as the breast cancers that strike post-menopausal women.

Dr. Paul Talalay, a molecular pharmacologist who directed the research, said the chemical known as sulforaphane boosts the production of an important enzyme that is known to neutralize carcinogens before they trigger tumor growth.

The finding, being published in today’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was based on laboratory observations. The scientists extracted the chemical from broccoli and then watched what happened when they applied it to cells grown in a dish.

Talalay cautioned that several years of research on animals and ultimately on humans would be needed before the team can say conclusively that broccoli helps prevent cancer.