Biosurfactants are the naturally-occurring surface-active biomolecules
produced by microorganisms having a wide range of applications. Because of their
unique characteristics like low toxicity, specificity, biodegradability and relative ease
of preparation, these surface active molecules have attracted a wide interest recently.
The effective and side-effect-free treatment of cancer remains a top priority for
researchers despite various advancements in cancer therapy. To go beyond the
drawbacks of chemotherapy, it is necessary to investigate anticancer medications
derived from natural sources. Since a wide variety of these compounds have revealed
the capacity to elicit cytotoxicity against numerous cancer cell lines, hence modulating
cancer growth pathways, biosurfactants have recently come to light as prospective
agents for cancer therapy. In this context, microbial biosurfactants offer a potential
replacement for existing cancer treatments as well as anti-cancer drug delivery
methods. The synthesis, structure, and studies of several cancer cell lines, including
breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and prostate cancer, are
all covered in this chapter, which summarizes the state of the art on microbial
surfactants with anti-cancer potential.
Keywords: Anti-cancer, Biosurfactants, Cancer therapy, Surfactin.
