The world’s oceans represent a vast and largely untapped source of biodiversity, offering a high probability for the discovery of unique chemical compounds with therapeutic properties. Among these, bioactive molecules found in marine organisms have shown notable anticancer effects.
For instance, cytarabine, a chemotherapy drug used to treat certain types of leukemia, was inspired by compounds found in the Caribbean sponge Cryptotethya crypta. Similarly, miltefosine, a marine-derived lipid, has proven useful in treating skin metastases caused by breast cancer.
Marine environments are a primary source of lipids (commonly referred to as “fats”) with antitumoral properties. These marine lipids can be used in two complementary ways. The first is nutritional, particularly via dietary intake. The second is based on the development of lipid anticancer agents whose molecular structures are derived from or inspired by the marine environment.
