Broccoli halves risk 'of deadliest tumours'
Updated: 2007-08-04 15:43
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Eating broccoli twice a week can halve a man's chances of developing the most dangerous form of prostate cancer |
Eating broccoli twice a week can halve a man's chances of developing the most dangerous form of prostate cancer, a study suggests.
It can cut the risk of an aggressive tumour by 45 per cent, researchers found.
Eating cauliflower brings even greater benefits, reducing the risk by 52 per cent.
It has long been thought that the two vegetables can protect against the disease.
But the study is the first to show they are particularly good at preventing aggressive prostate tumours.
Other fruits and vegetables, however, did not have the same impact.
This casts doubt on whether foods such as tomatoes, which are often claimed to have powerful anti-cancer properties, really have any effect on the disease.
Scientists at the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. tracked 29,000 men over four years for the study, reported in the Journal of the NCI.
Aggressive prostate tumours - which are more likely to spread to other organs - were much less common in those who ate broccoli or cauliflower at least once a week.
The effect could be explained by the fact that the two vegetables are rich in compounds that prevent damage to DNA.
Nearly 32,000 cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year in the UK and 10,000 men die from it, with the risks increasing with age.
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