Figs have always been potent medicine. They contain the highest concentrations of cancer-fighting polyphenols (2100 mg of polyphenols per 100 grams fruit) of any known fruit except dates. Fresh figs deliver twice the polyphenols of dried versions.
Of most interest is a recent study with breast cancer - psoralen is a bioactive natural compound found in figs, celery and other fruits and vegetables. It is already used to treat lymphoma—as well as skin conditions such as psoriasis. Combined with UV it triggers abnormal cell death.
It also has the ability to kill breast cancer cells that overproduce the protein HER2. Psoralen activated with UV light can block all the HER2 in cells, eventually leading to their death (Source: PLoS ONE, 2014; 9: e88983.)
In a new Jordanian population study, just one serving of figs a day was shown to reduce colon cancer risk by half.
Another study on healthy people showed that eating 40 grams of figs actually doubled the antioxidant capacity of the blood within one hour
The nine bioactive compounds have been extracted and each is being studied. Already, fig extracts have proven toxic to melanoma, breast, stomach, throat, bone, brain and liver cancers in the studies.
Ref: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25757495