Broccoli Blocks Prostate Cancer Cells

May 20, 2003 -- Broccoli, cauliflower, kale -- known in the veggie world as cruciferous -- do seem to fight cancer. A new study finds that those vegetables contain chemicals that block the growth of human prostate cancer cells, and could aid in cancer prevention.

The study appears in the June 6 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

In fact, several studies have pointed to the cancer-prevention properties of phytochemicals found in these vegetables, writes lead researcher Hien T. Le, PhD, a molecular biologist with the University of California at Berkeley.

Consumption of cruciferous vegetables has been linked with prevention of cancers of the breast, endometrium, colon, and prostate, he says.

A major active compound found in these veggies -- called indole-3-carbinol or 13C -- has shown promising cancer-prevention properties both in petri dish and animal studies, he says. The compound is converted in the body to something called DIM, which in this case acts as a powerful male hormone blocker and stops the prostate cancer cells from growing and dividing.

In this series of petri-dish studies, Le found that when 13C was digested in the body, it reduced the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the cancer cells. PSA is used as an indicator of prostate cancer activity.

In fact, the treated cancer cells grew 70% less than the untreated cancer cells, he says.

His studies show that these chemicals are "novel, naturally occurring" and could have potential in cancer prevention or treatment, he says.