Can Cabbage Compounds Help Prevent Cervical Cancer?

UK researchers are investigating whether a food supplement derived from substances found in cabbage could reduce the incidence of cervical abnormalities. The supplement, called Diindolylmethane (DIM for short), is available in the US as a herbal remedy where it is said to help with pre-menstrual syndrome. A research team headed by Professor Alison Fiander, head of the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Wales College Of Medicine in Cardiff, believe that it could also help in the fight against cervical cancer. In May, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, reported finding that the chemical, produced when digesting cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale, could stifle the growth of human prostate cancer cells. They said it was the first plant-derived chemical found to act as an anti-androgen. The new trial, sponsored by Cancer Research UK, is recruiting women with either a second borderline or mildly abnormal cervical smear who will take DIM daily for six months.