Broccoli, rich in vitamin C and soluble fiber, is said to have many health benefits. Now, a new study has claimed that the vegetable can cure cancer too, not just prevent it. Researchers at Michigan University have found that a compound in broccoli, called sulforaphane, could help prevent or treat breast cancer by targeting cancer stem cells, the small number of cells that fuel a tumour's growth. In their study, the researchers tested sulforaphane, which is also found in broccoli sprouts, in both mice and cell cultures and found that it targeted and even killed the cancer stem cells and prevented new tumours from growing. 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. Professor Duxin Sun, who led the team, said that this new insight suggests the potential of sulforaphane or broccoli extract to prevent or treat cancer by targeting the critical cancer stem cells. In the latest study, the researchers took mice with breast cancer and injected them with varying concentrations of sulforaphane. The findings have been published in the 'Clinical Cancer Research' journal.<br/>