Testing the Effect of the Broccoli Seed and Sprout Extract, Avmacol ES, on the Cancer Causing Substances of Tobacco in Heavy Smokers

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female current tobacco smokers with \>= 20 pack years of self-reported smoking exposure and a current average use of \>= 10 cigarettes/day * Age \>= 18 years. No upper age limit * Karnofsky performance scale \>= 70% * Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,000/microliter * Platelets \>= 100,000/microliter * Total bilirubin =\< 2 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) =\< 3 x ULN * Creatinine =\< 1.5 x ULN * Participants with known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are not eligible for this trial due to potential interaction between sulforaphane and anti-retroviral therapy * Participants with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured. Participants with HCV infection who are currently on treatment are not eligible due to potential interaction between sulforaphane and anti-retroviral therapy * The effects of BSSE on the developing human fetus at the recommended therapeutic dose are unknown. For this reason, women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her study physician i…