Can restricting asparagus help prevent cancer tumours?

Available for over a year

You may have read recently that depriving tumours of asparagine, which is abundant in asparagus, appears to prevent tumours spreading. What’s the truth behind the claim? Could restricting this amino acid through a controlled diet plan or by other means be an additional part of treatment for some patients with breast, neck, kidney or prostate cancer? Jenni meets Dr Justine Alford, a senior science officer for Cancer Research UK.