The recurrence rate in head and neck cancer is very high - and the recurrent cancer is commonly fatal. A study in mice now indicates that broccoli sprout extract may protect against return of the disease. The results were presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania).
Previous studies had shown that cruciferous vegetables with a high concentration of sulforaphane are able to reduce the effects of environmental carcinogens. For several months, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) therefore gave mice predisposed to oral cancer a sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extract. The study showed that the extract significantly reduced the incidence and number of tumours.
A trial with ten healthy volunteers who drank fruit juice mixed with sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extract showed that the substance was well tolerated and also had positive effects on the linings of their mouths. The extract was absorbed by the body and was effective in high-risk tissue.
A further study involving 40 people, who had been cured of head and neck cancer, is planned to start soon. The study subjects will take capsules with broccoli seed extract. With this component, the study authors hope to have found a potential "green chemoprevention". This type of prevention requires less money and resources than traditional pharmaceuticals and could therefore be more easily distributed in developing countries where head and neck cancer is a particularly large problem, says main author Julie Bauman.
Previous studies had shown that cruciferous vegetables with a high concentration of sulforaphane are able to reduce the effects of environmental carcinogens. For several months, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) therefore gave mice predisposed to oral cancer a sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extract. The study showed that the extract significantly reduced the incidence and number of tumours.
A trial with ten healthy volunteers who drank fruit juice mixed with sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extract showed that the substance was well tolerated and also had positive effects on the linings of their mouths. The extract was absorbed by the body and was effective in high-risk tissue.
A further study involving 40 people, who had been cured of head and neck cancer, is planned to start soon. The study subjects will take capsules with broccoli seed extract. With this component, the study authors hope to have found a potential "green chemoprevention". This type of prevention requires less money and resources than traditional pharmaceuticals and could therefore be more easily distributed in developing countries where head and neck cancer is a particularly large problem, says main author Julie Bauman.