October 31/Ann Arbor, Mich./University of Michigan -- A common food preservative appears to slow or even stop the growth of certain head and neck cancers, according to a University of Michigan study. The researchers found that the anti-bacterial agent Nisin activates a protein that promotes cell death in cancer cells, but does not harm normal "good" cells.
Oral cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, with between 40-6-% of patients surviving for five years after diagnosis.