Indole-3-Carbinol Stops Cancer

Indole-3-carbinol, a compound found in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, brussels sprouts, and cabbage) and dietary supplements, has been found to modify a key enzyme involved with the spreading of cancer, especially breast cancer. 

Researchers have known for some time the Indole-3-carbinol reduces cancer cell growth, disrupts cancer cell migration, and weakens cancer cells.  This is especially true in hormone-related cancers, which is why Indole-3-carbinol is currently in human clinical trials for breast and prostate cancer.

The new discovery may have pinpointed the key mechanism behind all these previous cancer-suppressing activities.  Researchers found that Indole-3-carbinol modulates an enzyme called elastase, in turn changing a gene signaling switch called cyclin E.  During cancer cyclin E takes on a shorter form, which causes cancer cells to reproduce very rapidly.  Indole-3-carbinol blocks elastase from changing cyclin E into its cancer-generating form.  The researchers showed this arrested the development of breast cancer cells.  This is the first time a precise biological mechanism for Indole-3-carbinol has been identified, and is considered a major discovery in the war on cancer.