Eating vegetables from the cabbage family can reduce the risk of lung cancer for people with a certain genetic make-up, scientists say. Such cruciferous vegetables had already been linked to reduced rates of lung cancer, but it had not been clear why. The study found eating the vegetables at least once a week cut cancer risk for people with inactive versions of two genes, carried by 70% of people. The Lancet study was by International Agency for Cancer Research scientists. The two genes which were studied are the GSTM1 and GSTT1, which normally protect the body against certain toxins. Vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and sprouts are rich in chemicals called isothiocyanates, which strongly protect against lung cancer. Normally, isothiocyanates are eliminated from the body by “clean-up” enzymes produced by the genes GSTM1 and GSTT1.
