7 hours Ago By Rachel Ann T. Melegrito
The everyday food we eat may help us fight cancer. According to recent research, supplements made from white button mushroom extracts may slow cancer progression in prostate cancer patients. Researchers found that the mushroom supplements significantly reduced cells that hamper the body’s cancer-fighting response.
These cells are elevated in men with prostate cancer and are associated with poorer prognosis. The supplements also activated tumor-fighting immune cells, such as T-cells and natural killer (NK) cells. “Using natural, food-based interventions could be a helpful way to slow down or even stop cancer from getting worse,” corresponding study author Shiuan Chen, a professor and chair of the Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, told The Epoch Times via email.
Prostate cancer is an immunologically “cold” tumor, meaning it lacks immune cell activity and responds poorly to immunotherapies. Its progression is often linked to myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), immune cells that block the body’s ability to attack tumors. PSA is an indication of prostate cancer growth.
Therefore, a decline in PSA levels shows that the mushroom slowed tumor growth. A decrease in MDSC in the blood also suggests an enhanced immune response. Mice treated with mushroom extract either before or after tumor development also experienced significantly delayed tumor growth, shrinkage, and more prolonged survival than untreated mice.
The mushroom doesn’t kill cancer cells directly. Instead, it works by enhancing the immune system. In one experiment involving immunodeficient mice lacking key immune cells, neither the mushroom extract nor beta-glucan (a type of fiber found in mushrooms known for its immune-modulating activity) in shiitake mushrooms slowed tumor growth.
Therefore, the mushroom extracts likely improve cancer survival by working on the immune system rather than acting directly on the cancer cells. The extract also encouraged the growth and multiplication of cancer-fighting T-cells in the mice. T-cells infiltrate tumors to kill cancer cells.
MDSCs can suppress T-cell growth and division, but the mushroom extract countered this effect. Furthermore, the extract boosted the activity of cancer-fighting cells like CD8+ T-cells and NK cells while reducing the activity of pro-cancer genes in immune cells. Co-author Dr.
Xiaoqiang Wang, a City of Hope staff scientist with a doctorate in molecular medicine, said they also need to research other types of mushrooms. “We are not sure if other types of mushrooms would provide the same specific benefits as white button mushrooms for prostate cancer. More studies are needed to understand how different mushrooms affect health.
” The researchers did not specify the exact amount of white button mushrooms a person should consume to gain these anti-cancer effects but encouraged including a variety of mushrooms as part of a healthy diet. They also advised consulting a doctor before starting any dietary supplements. In addition to its effects on prostate cancer, the experimental supplement may have potential benefits for other cancers due to its immune-boosting properties.
Mice given the extract alongside immunotherapy had slower tumor growth than mice treated with immunotherapy alone. “We are also running a prevention trial using white button mushroom for breast cancer, but we need more evidence to confirm its effectiveness. Studies using animal models indicate that white button mushroom could enhance immunotherapy, making mushroom-based treatments a promising addition to future cancer therapies,” Chen said.
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