Can Seaweed Help Fight Lymphoma?

Seaweed extract may one day have the potential to treat the immune system cancer known as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a new report has suggested.

In the study, lead researcher Mohammad Irhimeh, an assistant professor of oncology and stem cells at the Hashemite University in Jordan, and his colleagues experimented with a seaweed compound called fucoidan, which has been reported to fight tumors in mice and in some cell lines, according to the researchers.

"Some forms of B-cell lymphoma are especially resistant to standard treatment and thus new therapies are needed," said Irhimeh, quoted by Health Day News.

After testing human lymphoma cells with fucoidan, which is sold commercially, the researchers found that it inhibited growth of cancerous cells while not affecting healthy tissue. Furthermore, they discovered a positive level of activity in the genes associated with cell death in lymphoma.

The next step for the research team is to analyze the physiological mechanism responsible for the biological effects seen in the study.

Additionally, there are a variety of nutritional supplements on the market that may slow cancer progression, including vitamin D.