The commonly used food preservative nisin has been shown to be effective in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).1

While food preservatives are widely used to prevent bacterial growth in foods, this is the first time a bacteriocin has been used to prevent the growth of cancer cells. Due to nisin's ability to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) and reduce cell proliferation, it has been shown to be effective in slowing or even stopping tumour growth.

Mice were injected with HNSCC cells in the floor of the mouth and tumour volume was assessed weekly in nisin administered groups and a control group. Tumours that weren't treated with nisin were significantly larger in size, whilst nisin proved to prevent and inhibit HNSCC tumour growth over the three-week treatment course.

Crucially, as nisin has already been given WHO and FDA approval as safe for human consumption, development of nisin in treatment can be fast tracked.