It has been found by scientists that the sprout extract of broccoli could help prevent head and neck cancer. They conducted a study on mice to reach at the conclusion. The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) study's findings will be further examined in a human clinical trial. To do that, participants who are at high risk for the recurrence of disease later this year will be recruited.

According to lead author Julie Bauman, MD, MPH, co-director of the UPMC Head and Neck Cancer Center of Excellence, "People who are cured of head and neck cancer are still at very high risk for a second cancer in their mouth or throat, and, unfortunately, these second cancers are commonly fatal". Therefore, he added that they are developing a safe, natural molecule, which is found in cruciferous vegetables so as to protect the oral lining where these cancers develop.

On Sunday, the research was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting in Philadelphia. It was found in the study that 10 healthy human volunteers, who consumed a particular amount of broccoli powder daily, had the same biological factors in mucus membranes of the oral cavity as found in the mice.

The study is preliminary evidence that broccoli has anti-cancer properties; however, it has to be yet figured out whether it will help prevent cancer or relapses in humans.

Dr. Bauman said that this year, she looks forward to starting clinical trials to find out whether the extract can prevent cancer in people who are at high risk of environmental-exposure cancers in addition to tobacco users.

It has been found in the previous studies that cruciferous vegetables, which have a high concentration of sulforaphane could help reduce the effects of environmental carcinogens.