A method of preventing and/or treating cancer in a subject is provided. The method includes administering to the subject a composition comprising an effective amount of an active agent selected from the group consisting of aurin tricarboxylic acid (ATA), aurin quadracarboxylic acid (AQA), aurin hexacarboxylic acid (AHA), aurin tricarboxylic acid complex (ATAC), and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The method excludes administration of components of crude aurin tricarboxylic acid greater than or equal to 1 kilodalton in molecular weight.
