Temumangga (Curcuma mango) has been shown to help in the treatment of cancer. For this reason, temumangga is often recommended by medical herbalists to cancer patients. Temumangga is always combined with other anti-cancer herbs such as white turmeric and tea mistletoe.

Monoterpenes, myrcene, and trans-ocimene, three essential oils that are lethal to cancer cells, are known to be present in the temumangga plant. They are cytotoxic to cancer cells. This action promotes anti-proliferative activity (inhibits cell proliferation) and induces apoptosis (cell suicide), resulting in the death of cancer cells.