Plenty of Vegetable in Diet Prevents Cancer

Even if normal cells are spoiled by over 10 years of smoking or by excess stress, a domestic doctor discovered that large diet of vegetables may prevent the progress of cancer.

Seoul University’s Food Science and Technology Professor Lee Hyung-Ju announced on the 14th, "Cancer develops from `beginning stage`, in which genetic defect mutates cells, through `acceleration stage`, in which cells keep mutating for a decade, to `progress stage`, in which cancer develops in full-scale. But during the acceleration stage, Vitamin C and quercetin from fruits, vegetables, and green tea, constrain the progress of cancer."

Professor Lee classified △ normal cells △ cancer cells △ cells with special substance injected, and used so called `western blot` photographing technique to examine how protein operates when the cells send and receive signals to each other. Through this method, it was found that Vitamin C is effective in containing the spread of cancer, and the information is published in the latest edition (Jan. 12) of the British medical journal, `Lancet`.

Professor Lee also discovered that a substance called quercetin is more cancer-preventative than Vitamin C. The research result is soon to be published in the world famous nutrition journal `American Journal of Clinical Nutrition`.

Until now, scholars believed that Vitamin C prevented cancer in the beginning stage as it caused damage on cell genes, but did not discover its preventative characteristic even in the progress stage.

"There had been a hypothesis that taking Vitamin C tablets is good for cancer-prevention, but diet of vegetables and fruits seems much better. However, I am not saying people should stay away from meat. Balanced diet is the best way to prevent cancer.", said Professor Lee. He also added, "If already in the progress stage of cancer, one should look to surgery, medicine, and treatment rather than dietary prevention methods."

Seong-Ju Lee stein33@donga.com