Broccoli, And Other Cruciferous Vegetables, Dramatically Cut Cancer Risk

Researchers are prescribing broccoli for reducing breast cancer risk, and other cruciferous vegetables aren’t far behind either. Leafy vegetables such as kale, cauliflower and cabbage, contain chemicals that prevent a number of different cancers.

However, now experts have discovered that the compound in broccoli can actually kill breast cancer cells.

Breast Cancer - Causes, Risks, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Staging, Treatment, Prevention & Prognosis
Breast cancer is a cancer that affects the breasts or mammary glands. Early detection and lifestyle changes help in controlling breast cancer.

University of California researchers have revealed for the first time how the healing power of these vegetables works in the cells, reports the Daily Express.

The study has been published in the journal Carcinogenesis.

The research, which was carried out by Leslie Wilson, professor of biochemistry and pharmacology, and Mary Ann Jordan, adjunct professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, at the university's Santa Barbara laboratories, found that a compound in broccoli inhibits the rapid growth of tumor cells in a similar way to chemotherapy drug taxol and vincristine, a drug which kills cells that reproduce the fastest.

About Cancer in Women
Cancer is one of the frequently talked about and most feared disease that falls under the genre of lifestyle diseases that have evolved, rather rapidly, in the past two decades.

The drugs inhibit cell division during mitosis, the process by which cells split apart and divide.

Graduate student Olga Azarenko, who worked on the project, said: "Breast cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, can be protected against by eating cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and near relatives of cabbage such as broccoli and cauliflower.

Ovarian Cancer | Cancer in the Ovaries - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Ovarian cancer affects both the ovaries and is referred to as the 'silent killer' as the symptoms go unnoticed until the disease advances.

"These vegetables contain compounds called isothiocyanates which we believe to be responsible for the cancer-preventive and anti-carcinogenic activities in these vegetables. Broccoli and broccoli sprouts have the highest amount of the isothiocyanates.

"Our paper focuses on the anti-cancer activity of one of these compounds, called sulforaphane, or SFN. It has already been shown to reduce the incidence and rate of chemically induced mammary tumors in animals. It inhibits the growth of cultured human breast cancer cells, leading to cell death."

Breast Self Examination
Slides and animation of Breast Self Examination for early detection of breast cancer lumps in women

Source-ANI
TAN/M