Could a green sponge hold cancer-fighting secrets?

A small green sponge, photographed by an ROV camera, seen in the waters off the coast of Alaska. - AFP/file

Washington (AFP) - A small green sponge discovered in dark, icy waters of the Pacific off Alaska could be the first effective weapon against pancreatic cancer, researchers said on Wednesday.

Pancreatic cancer, with particularly aggressive tumors, is notoriously difficult to treat.