Mushrooms – whether or not your taste buds enjoy this edible dietary fungus, medicinal mushrooms are a major part of integrative cancer care. Medicinal mushrooms have sparked great intrigue among those who study cancer therapies, and they are one of the most studied medicinal foods. They are known to modulate our immune system, protect our healthy cells from DNA damage (thus reducing side effects of chemotherapy or radiation), and be cytotoxic to cancer cells. Let’s explore this fascinating area of medicine.
A variety of medicinal mushrooms are all around you if you know where to look, and in fact, some of my patients go on “mushroom harvesting” excursions right here in Alberta. Some medicinal mushrooms can also be found in the grocery store, such as oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and white button mushrooms. Some epidemiological data has suggested that consuming dietary mushrooms may decrease one’s risk of cancer, notably breast cancer (PLoS One, 2014;9:e93437). If you do not enjoy eating mushrooms in your diet, many good quality supplements can be taken.
Medicinal mushrooms are composed of various phytochemicals, and some of the most important are polysaccharides, commonly referred to as beta-glucans. Beta-glucans have been shown to possess anti-tumour, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-diabetic properties. Studies have looked at how mushrooms modulate the immune system, improve quality of life, and even increase survival.
IMMUNE FUNCTION
Very often, people who are fighting cancer want to take supplements that can “boost the immune system”. But do they actually work?
Two separate small studies investigated whether shiitake mushroom extract improved immune parameters in women with stage I-III breast cancer who were undergoing chemotherapy. In both studies, the results showed that neutrophil counts remained higher compared to women who did not take the shiitake extract. Additionally, the overall quality of life scores were much higher during chemotherapy when taking shiitake (J Altern Complement Med, 2013;19:905)(Mol Clin Oncol, 2017;7:359).
A very interesting study was conducted on 18 individuals diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, which can sometimes advance to more aggressive forms of blood cancer. Infections are a common cause of mortality and morbidity in these patients, despite having ample neutrophil counts. It has been suggested that poor neutrophil function is what causes these infections. The study participants were supplemented with a maitake extract for 12 weeks, and it was found that while white blood counts did not increase, their function and activity markedly increased, thereby increasing their ability to fight off infections (Cancer Immunol Immunother, 2015;64(2):237).
Improved natural killer cell activity was found in 100 women with cervical, ovarian and endometrial cancer being treated with chemotherapy. These women were supplemented with a mushroom called agaricus blazei during the entire course of their chemotherapy, and they also had statistically significant better quality of life, mainly improved appetite, less weakness and better mood (Int J Gynecol Cancer, 2004;14(4):589).
QUALITY OF LIFE
Feeling well during chemotherapy, immunotherapy or other cancer treatments is possible, and most of my patients can get through their treatments with less intense side effects. Medicinal mushrooms can play a significant role.
One group of researchers investigated the quality of life after 56 individuals underwent surgery for colorectal cancer. The participants were supplemented with agaricus sylvaticus for 6 months, and found an overall enhanced quality of life compared to those who didn’t supplement, namely an increased tolerance to physical activity, improved mood, decreased pain, better sleep, better appetite, and less digestive concerns (constipation, diarrhea, flatus)(Nutr Hosp, 2010;25(4):586).
A Chinese research group looked at their data which was collected over 12 years in their patients supplemented with shiitake mushroom. In total, their analysis included 3,469 lung cancer cases, 3,039 cases of gastric cancer, 1,646 cases of colon cancer, 183 cases of ovarian cancer, 130 cases of cervical cancer, 70 cases of Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and 15 people with pancreatic cancer. All of these individuals underwent chemotherapy to some extent, and in general, had improved quality of life during chemo-radiation (Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci, 2019;163:297).
SURVIVAL BENEFITS
For most people, the goal is to beat their cancer and become cancer-free. For some, in particular in those who may be at an advanced stage or have been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, living as long as possible is the goal.
We have some recent, very impressive data on the survival benefits conferred by medicinal mushrooms. There were 10,617 patients included in the study, all of whom were diagnosed with stage III gastric cancer, and who underwent gastrectomy followed by chemotherapy. Some individuals were supplemented with coriolus versicolor (turkey tail), while the rest only received standard treatment. The overall survival in the group taking turkey tail mushroom was 6.49 years, compared to 3.59 years in non-users (Medicine (Baltimore);2022:101).
TAKE AWAY
Medicinal mushrooms are an extremely safe and effective supplement to include in your integrative cancer care. Extracts are more effective than teas or dietary sources, therefore be sure to consult with an experienced integrative cancer specialist. It is unclear whether specific mushrooms are indicated for different cancer types, but once we get a full picture of your needs, we can better tailor your treatment to you.
