A substance found in broccoli and broccoli sprouts killed cancer stem cells, as per the findings of the University of Michigan. When tested in lab, it also managed to cease new tumors from growing in mice and human cell cultures.

The only key to treat cancer is getting rid of cancer cells. At present nothing can stop cancer from spreading, as chemotherapy fails to work against stem cells, according to the researchers.

It resulted positive in rats and is expected to work in people, as well, but the amount tested is larger than the amount people could consume in their diet.

The study co-author Duxin Sun, an associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University Of Michigan College Of Pharmacy said, “The compound, known as sulforaphane, has been studied previously for its effects on cancer, but this study shows that its benefit is in inhibiting the breast cancer stem cells”.

Sulforaphane was administered to mice with breast cancer and the number of their stem cells in their tumors was monitored by the researchers. The treated mice had fewer of the cells and they failed to produce new tumors. They also added that the tests on human breast cancer cells in the laboratory led to similar reductions in cancer stem cells.