Pharma booklet labels may one day be needed for a cancer fighting treatment developed using agents found in broccoli and cauliflower.

Researchers at Oregon State University have shown that sulfrophane can selectively act against cancer cells while leaving healthy ones to function as normal.

Emily Ho, lead author of the study, commented: "This does appear to be a phytochemical that can selectively kill cancer cells and that's always what you look for in cancer therapies."

This could mean that once developed into a working drug with its own pharma labels, it could be a preferable alternative to chemotherapy, which targets all cells.

The findings were published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research and clinical trials into the agent's uses to treat prostate and breast cancer are underway.

According to figures from Cancer Research UK, 12,116 people died from breast cancer in the country during 2008, while 48,034 were diagnosed with the condition.

Denny Bros Ltd, 15 June 2011