A compound and an enzyme that occur naturally in cruciferous vegetables -- cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts -- may help prevent recurrence and spread of some cancers, according to associate professor Moul Dey of the South Dakota State University Department of Health and Nutritional Sciences. She has been doing research on phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) through a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health for more than $875,000 and support from the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station.

The precursor compound and enzyme in cruciferous vegetables combine during the chewing process to produce PEITC within the body, Dey explained. Though PEITC is a good candidate to develop as a dietary supplement, studies have also shown that sufficient cancer-preventing levels of PEITC can be achieved through diet alone.