Digestive Health Digestive Health and Nutrition

The Grocery List for Cancer Prevention?

A garlic, broccoli sprout and sauerkraut sandwich? It sounds gross, but in fact, this may be one way to prevent some common forms of cancer.

Four new studies, presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, provide a grocery list of foods that may help in preventing stomach, skin and breast cancer. In fact, these preliminary studies show that the chemicals in some foods directly interact with some carcinogens and the body's own cells to provide a strong defense against would-be cancer causers.

"[We're] discovering more and more about the cancer-preventing properties of things we are eating," said Dr. William G. Nelson, program chairman, at a news conference. "The idea of having more fruits and vegetables in the diet has more and more evidence to support it."

Finish Those Broccoli Sprouts
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University have found that sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli sprouts, is effective in fighting a dangerous bacteria and the stomach inflammation it causes.

Patients with infections caused by the bacteria H. pylori were directed to eat 100 grams of broccoli sprouts for two months. Afterwards, patients had a significantly lowered amount of the bacteria in their stomach when compared to a group eating a similar amount of alfalfa sprouts, a relative of the broccoli sprout that is much lower in sulforaphane.

But what does a bacterial infection have to do with cancer?

Several studies have shown that stomach inflammation, or gastritis, is a major cause of stomach cancer, particularly when it goes unchecked over a long period of time. Broccoli sprouts prevent and reduce stomach inflammation and, therefore, may also be a weapon against stomach cancer.

If that's not enough, another group of researchers from Dartmouth Medical School have shown that the same compound in broccoli sprouts that protects against stomach cancer may also protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun.

Researchers coated the skin of mice with highly-concentrated amounts of sulforaphane, and then exposed the rodents to UV light five days a week for 11 weeks. While the mice that did not have the sulforaphane coating all developed tumors, the amount of tumors was reduced by 50 percent in the sulforaphane-protected mice.

"We weren't looking for a sunscreen-effect," said study author Dr. Albena T. Dinkova-Kostova from Johns Hopkins University, "Our findings suggest a promising strategy for skin cancer prevention after exposure to UV light." So, the compound would presumably benefit those who already had some sun damage.

It may be some time before a broccoli sprout lotion hits the shelves, but researchers from both studies believe that the compound acts to protect the DNA in cells from damage, preventing tumor formation.

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