An antioxidant found in cruciferous vegetables may at some point in the future be used in combination with selenium to help fight skin cancer, new research suggests.

Isothiocyanates – found in broccoli, cabbage and similar foods – have already been identified as an anti-cancer compound.

Last year, scientists at UC Santa Barbara discovered isothiocyanates helped prevent cell proliferation, which led to a lower risk of cancer. Those researchers suggested increasing your intake of cruciferous veggies could protect against the disease.

Meanwhile, the new study, carried out at Penn State College of Medicine, focused on combining isothiocyanates with selenium. The scientists found this combination could inhibit the growth of tumors in mice by up to 60 percent.

Selenium – in the form of nutritional supplements – is already recommended for certain cancer patients, including those with metastatic melanoma, according to the researchers.

“We have harnessed something found in nature to target melanoma,” said lead researcher Gavin Robertson. “And since we only need tiny amounts to kill the cancer cells, it means even less toxic side-effects for the patient.”