Cancer
Study explains why broccoli prevents cancer
By Ben Wasserman
Dec 23, 2008 - 10:20:37 AM

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Tuesday Dec 23, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- Many vegetables are known to prevent cancer. Eating cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage can help reduce risk of breast cancer.

A new study by Mary Ann Jordan and colleagues at the University of California in Santa Barbara showed sulforaphane or SFN found in broccoli prevents cancer by inhibiting cell division during mitosis.

SFN has been found early to reduce the incidence and rate of chemically induced mammary tumors in animals and inhibit the growth of cultured human breast cancer cells.

Mitosis is a process in which the duplicated DNA in the form of chromosomes is distributed to the two daughter cells when a cell divides, according to a press release by the university. The cells use hundreds of tiny tube-like structures called microtubules to separate the chromosomes.  

The study published in this month's journal Carcinogenesis showed SFN interferes with microtubule functioning during the process.