Can Turkey Tail Mushrooms Help Fight Cancer?

Sources

Benson, KF et al. (2019). The mycelium of the Trametes versicolor (Turkey tail) mushroom and its fermented substrate each show potent and complementary immune activating properties in vitro.
link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12906-019-2681-7

Chu KK, Ho SS, Chow AH. (2013). Coriolus versicolor: A medicinal mushroom with promising immunotherapeutic values.
accp1.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1177/009127000204200904

Dietary supplements. (2019).
fda.gov/food/dietary-supplements

Fritz H et al. (2015). Polysaccharide K and Coriolus versicolor extracts for lung cancer: A systematic review.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1534735415572883

Guggenheim AG, et al. (2014). Immune modulation from five major mushrooms: Application to integrative oncology.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684115/

Hsieh TC, et al. (2019). Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of medicinal mushroom Trametes versicolor interact with DNA: A novel genoactive effect contributing to its antiproliferative activity in cancer cells.
link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-13-6382-5_7

Hsieh TC, et al. (2013) Regulation of cell cycle transition and induction of apoptosis in HL-60 leukemia cells by the combination of Coriolus versicolor and Ganoderma lucidum.
spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/ijmm.2013.1378

Janjušević, L et al. (2017). The lignicolous fungus Trametes versicolor (L.) Lloyd (1920): a promising natural source of antiradical and AChE inhibitory agents.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6010034/

Knežević A, et al. (2015). Antigenotoxic effect of Trametes spp. extracts against DNA damage on human peripheral white blood cells. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4517545/

Medicinal mushrooms. (2020).
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424937/

Oba K, et al (2007). Efficacy of adjuvant immunochemotherapy with polysaccharide K for patients with curative resections of gastric cancer.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17106715/

Roca-Lema, D, et al. (2019). In vitro anti-proliferative and anti-invasive effect of polysaccharide-rich extracts from Trametes versicolor and Grifola frondosa in colon cancer cells.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6367522/

Standish LJ, et al. (2008). Trametes versicolor mushroom immune therapy in breast cancer.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2845472/

Torkelson, CJ, et al. (2012). Phase 1 clinical trial of Trametes versicolor in women with breast cancer.
hindawi.com/journals/isrn/2012/251632/

Zhong L, et al. (2019). Coriolus versicolor and Ganoderma lucidum related natural products as an adjunct therapy for cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31333449/

https://www.healthline.com/health/cancer/turkey-tail-mushroom-cancer#takeaway

Abstract

Background. Polysaccharide K, also known as PSK or Krestin, is derived from the Coriolus versicolor mushroom and is widely used in Japan as an adjuvant immunotherapy for a variety of cancer including lung cancer.

Despite reported benefits, there has been no English language synthesis of PSK for lung cancer. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic review of PSK for the treatment of lung cancer.

Methods. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, AltHealth Watch, and the Library of Science and Technology from inception to August 2014 for clinical and preclinical evidence pertaining to the safety and efficacy of PSK or other Coriolus versicolor extracts for lung cancer.

Results

Thirty-one reports of 28 studies were included for full review and analysis. Six studies were randomized controlled trials, 5 were nonrandomized controlled trials, and 17 were preclinical studies. Nine of the reports were Japanese language publications.

Fifteen of 17 preclinical studies supported anticancer effects for PSK through immunomodulation and potentiation of immune surveillance, as well as through direct tumor inhibiting actions in vivo that resulted in reduced tumor growth and antimetastatic effects.

Nonrandomized controlled trials showed improvement of various survival measures including median survival and 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival. Randomized controlled trials showed benefits on a range of endpoints, including immune parameters and hematological function, performance status and body weight, tumor-related symptoms such as fatigue and anorexia, as well as survival.

Although there were conflicting results for impact on some of the tumor-related symptoms and median survival, overall most randomized controlled trials supported a positive impact for PSK on these endpoints. PSK was safely administered following and in conjunction with standard radiation and chemotherapy.

Conclusions

PSK may improve immune function, reduce tumor-associated symptoms, and extend survival in lung cancer patients. Larger, more rigorous randomized controlled trials for PSK in lung cancer patients are warranted.