The effects of diet on cancer are still largely unstudied, but early research has shown that one fruit, claimed to have medicinal properties, can slow the spread of the disease, while other research suggests it may enhance the performance of conventional treatments or selectively kill several types of cancer cells.

The fruit in question is the graviola, also called soursop, which comes from rainforest trees in Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia, where it is commonly consumed, according to the British site "express".

According to WebMD, "soursop is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants known to boost immune health."

Research shows that this fruit strengthens the immune system by improving the ability to defend against pathogens and enhancing the destruction of free radicals.

Some studies have investigated the fruit’s effects on cancer and its potential to help selectively kill malignant cells.

A study published in the journal "Natural Products" found that the effects of soursop on cancer were not only compared to the drug doxorubicin (also called adriamycin) but significantly exceeded it in laboratory studies.

The research suggested that two compounds extracted from the seeds of this fruit showed effects similar to doxorubicin, a drug widely used in cancer chemotherapy.

Meanwhile, researchers found that two compounds in the plant selectively destroyed colon cancer cells with a strength 10,000 times greater than doxorubicin.

Researchers at Purdue University found that soursop leaf extract killed cancer cells in at least six types of cancer and was particularly effective against prostate cancer cells (which affects one in eight men in the UK) and pancreatitis.

However, soursop extract also appears to work on colon and breast cancer cells, leaving healthy cells intact, which chemotherapy cannot do.