CHICAGO – The use of a tropical fruit extract to combat lung cancer shows promise, according to a study at the University of Illinois.
The findings were published online in the February 2015 edition of the Journal of Dietary Supplements.
In the study a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma in their lungs was given guyabano, also is known as soursop, fruit extract instead of conventional chemotherapy. While the impact of this tropical fruit on cancer cells is well documented, researchers note there is a lack of scientific data to support how and why it impacts cancer cells.
Because the patient given the fruit extract responded well to it, researchers are calling for more in-depth studies on the impact of guyabano fruit on HCC regression on order to further understand its antineoplastic activity — which they hope will lead to more novel therapeutic options for this deadly disease.