<p><i>Raphanus sativus</i> or radish is rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolic, antioxidant enzymes, carbohydrates, glucosinolates, terpenes, coumarins, alkaloids, flavonoids (anthocyanin), amino acids, carotenoids, organic acids, and isothiocyanates that have antioxidant and chemopreventive properties. The prominent compounds present in radish are glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, sulforaphane, flavonoids, phenethyl isothiocyanates, etc., that through various mechanisms play an important role in the prevention and treatment of various cancers such as, liver, prostate, colon, oral, lung, cervical, breast, blood, and gastric cancers. The major mechanisms involved are alterations in biotransformation enzymes, such as Phase I and Phase II enzymes, which could help the body detoxify or remove xenobiotics; apoptotic induction caused by secondary glucosinolate metabolites; anti-tumorigenesis through preventing angiogenesis, invasion, migration, and metastasis of cancer cells; using cell cycle arrest to limit the development of cancer cells; anti-proliferation; and antioxidant potential and modulation of epigenetic. These bioactive compounds also exhibit anti-tumor mechanisms that target various cancer cell lines. This review highlights the mechanistic role of various bioactive compounds present in <i>Raphanus sativus</i> for the treatment and prevention of various cancers and also explains their role in various cancer cell lines.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>