Broccoli - May Help Prevent Lung Cancer (But Don't Smoke It!)

Broccoli has long been known for its compounds that can help prevent cancer. Now the latest news suggests that broccoli can be useful even against lung cancer. It's for prevention, though. Don't expect it to do anything once you've got tumors. Eat it now, while you're healthy. And be sure to consider broccoli sprouts which have a very high concentration of anti-cancer compounds. Here is an excerpt:

A compound found in broccoli may help protect against lung cancer in smokers, according to results of a study with mice.

Although expert advice is clearly to avoid tobacco smoke altogether, the results suggest smokers could benefit from upping their intake of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower that contain the compound indole-3-carbinol (I3C).

Writing in Cancer Prevention Research, scientists from the University of Minnesota report that mice exposed to carcinogens found in tobacco smoke and fed varying doses of I3C had significant reductions in the number of lung tumours.

Indeed, mice fed the highest amount of I3C had 88 per cent fewer tumours than control mice, with the scientists reporting the compound appeared to act on inhibiting cell proliferation, and enhancing programmed cell death (apoptosis).

“These results clearly show the efficacy of I3C in the prevention of tobacco carcinogen-induced lung tumorigenesis in […] mice and provide a basis for future evaluation of this compound in clinical trials as a chemopreventive agent for current and former smokers,” wrote lead author Fekadu Kassie.

One in three Europeans are smokers, while the US figure is one in five. Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 compounds, of which 60 are known carcinogens. The oxidative stress levels of smokers are significantly greater than non-smokers, and as such there is a bigger drain on the levels of antioxidants in the body.

 

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