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Broccoli sprouts could reduce the risk of developing stomach cancer by suppressing a common bacterial infection, a new study suggests.

Three-day-old sprouts were found to suppress Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infections, one of the most common infections in the world and a known cause of stomach cancers.

Sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli, has been known to have a cancer protective effect for almost 20 years, but this is the first time the vegetable has been shown to have an effect on the cancer-causing bacteria in humans.

Jed Fahey, a researcher at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said: "This study supports the emerging evidence that broccoli sprouts may be able to prevent cancer in humans, not just in lab animals."

A reduction in H pylori is expected to lead to a reduction in stomach cancer cases and could be important for people seeking cancer/” target=”_self”>cancer life insurance.

Stomach cancer affects about 8,200 people in the UK every year and is almost twice as common among men than women.

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This entry was posted on Monday, April 6th, 2009 at 4:00 pm and is filed under Medical Developments and treatments.