According to researchers at Princess Margaret Hospital, the ovarian hormone progesterone plays a pivotal role in altering breast stem cells. The study findings are significant because reproductive history is among the strongest risk factors for breast cancer. The new study has said a component found in broccoli may hold a key in the fight against breast cancer. The researchers believe that eliminating the caner stem cells is the key to control cancer. It may be current chemotherapy does not work against cancer stem cells.

Duxin Sun, the author of the study, was quoted as saying by telegraph. co. uk

“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. This new insight suggests the potential of sulforaphane or broccoli extract to prevent or treat cancer by targeting the critical cancer stem cells”. The study researchers took mice with breast cancer and injected varying concentrations of sulforaphne from the broccoli extract. It may be noted that several established methods to assess the number of caner stem cells in the tumors.