A deep water marine sponge reduces pancreatic tumor size read more at here http://www.spinonews.com/index.php/component/k2/item/637

Scientists at Florida Atlantic University found that a deep water marine sponge contains leiodermatolide, a natural product that has the ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cells as well as block cancer cells.

Sea sponges are ancient group of animals that appeared more than 600 million years ago that have many of the same genes as humans. Scientists are taking advantage of this similarity to develop medicines useful in the treatment of human diseases, such as cancer.

Recently, researchers showing that leiodermatolide can reduce pancreatic tumor size in vivo. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States.  In recent years, pancreatic cancer has received considerable attention because many well-known individuals have died from the disease. 

Leiodermatolide has Potent Cytotoxic and Antimitotic Activity Against Cancer Cells, appears to affect Microtubule Dynamics, and exhibits Antitumor Activity, researchers show that its effects occur not only against cells, it also has the ability to reduce pancreatic cancer tumor weight.

Researchers have been able to show that leiodermatolide generate programmed cell death in pancreatic cancer cells, and inhibits the growth of other cancer cells such as metastatic melanoma, colon cancer, lymphoma, and glioblastoma, a rare and deadly form of brain cancer.

Leiodermatolide interacts with tubulin but appears to affect microtubule dynamics through a unique mechanism of action compared to other microtubule interacting agents. In a mouse model of metastatic pancreatic cancer, leiodermatolide exhibited significant tumor reduction when compared to other drugs for pancreatic cancer and controls.  

If a sponge makes a compound that is toxic to predators or tastes bad, that sponge may be protected from being eaten. In addition to blocking predation, natural products can have many different functions within the producing organism.