A natural compound found in long pepper can be an effective and cost-efficient agent against colon cancer cells, said researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela on Tuesday. 

Colon cancer is a disease in which the cells grow uncontrollably in the large intestine of the body, forming a tumour. It is one of the most common types of cancer globally. According to the World Health Organization, in 2022, nearly 1.9 million new cases and almost 900,000 deaths occurred due to colon cancer.