Curcumin belongs to the polyphenol group of compounds which are potent antioxidants. Ever since 1980 medical field has been considering antioxidants seriously for an effective way to prevent and mitigate cancer. Curcumin was of particular interest because of the low rates of cancer in India where turmeric is a part of the daily diet. With many studies and research reports, the cancer preventing and cancer mitigating powers of turmeric has become clearer.

Curcumin the active component of turmeric has been found to be very effective in the treatment of difficult cases of skin cancer. One study involved several patients with ulcerating cancers in mouth and skin whose problems have not been addressed with conventional therapies like surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. An eighteen month treatment based on turmeric extracts brought considerable relief to the unpleasant symptoms of skin cancer.. Another study demonstrated in a study that formation of colon tumors was inhibited in a large group of rats fed with curcumin extract.

It has been estimated that everyday around 350 cancerous cells and micrsocpic tumors are formed in the body of a young healthy individual. But most of these deviant cells are killed by body's natural immune system even before these cells cross the microscopic stage. When the number of such deviant cells formed in the body increases and when the natural killer cell activity (immune system) decreases then these tumors can grow into malignant form. At this stage clinical diagnosis of cancer happens. Turmeric is known to kill such deviant cancerous cells when they are in the microscopic stage itself.

Turmeric seems to offer a certain degree of protection against cancer. It does make good sense to add it regularly in our diet.