You may have heard that broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and watercress has the ability to fight against cancer. But until now the scientists did not know the secret behind the vegetables' anticancer attributes.

     In a new study, researchers found compounds in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables called isothiocyanates (ITCs) appear to target and block mutant p53 genes associated with cancer growth.

     Gene p53 is known as a tumor suppressor gene and appears to play a critical role in keeping cells healthy and protecting them from cancer. When this gene is damaged or mutated, it stops offering this protection. Researchers say these mutations are found in about half of all human cancers.

     In a report published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, researcher Xiantao Wang of Georgetown University and colleagues analyzed the effects of ITCs on gene p53 in a variety of human cancer cells, including lung, breast, and colon cancer, in the lab.

     The results showed that ITCs were capable of removing the defective p53 gene while leaving healthy versions of the gene alone.