A case-control
study among Korean women relating seaweed consumption and breast cancer
incidence showed that uptake of Porphyra
spp. also known as gim, may decrease the risk of breast cancer [5]. Through
a clinical trial among American menopausal women, dietary seaweed was found to
explain lower postmenopausal breast cancer (BC) by lowering uPAR protein [6]. A
positive association between the risk of papillary carcinoma in postmenopausal
women and seaweed consumption was also identified, by the Japan Public Health
Center-based Prospective Study [7]. Concurrent seaweed and soy consumption
decreased IGF-1 serum concentrations, associating it with the cases of lower
breast cancer incidence in Asian countries [8]. Such examples abound in
biological literature. But India, despite being a peninsular subcontinent, is
yet to discover the significance of dietary seaweed in its lifestyle. Therefore, it is
necessary to look within the locality for cost-effective, commercially viable
drug candidates.