Anti-Cancer Research: Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitakes have shown themselves to carry powerful anti-cancer compounds. Some clinical trials with humans have been performed and show positive results. Here are details on three of these studies to help you better understand the science behind medicinal mushrooms
Arabinoxylan Rice Bran (MGN-3) Enhances the Effects of Interventional Therapies for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Three-year Randomized Clinical Trial (2010)[i]
MGN-3 is rice bran treated with Shiitake mycelium extract. It is produced by a company in Japan and commonly known as Biobran or Lentin Plus. It has been used in many previous research studies with both mice and humans. In this study it was given in combination with conventional cancer treatments to thirty-eight patients with liver cancer. Thirty control patients received the conventional treatment only. The experimental group received 1g of MGN-3 daily with food for one year. Patients were followed for an additional two years after the end of treatment.
Those taking the Shiitake extract showed a significantly lower level of cancer recurrence, (32%), than the group receiving the conventional treatment, (47%). After the second year those taking Shiitake were significantly more likely to still be alive, 35% compared to 7% in the control group. They also had significantly smaller tumors than the control group, whose tumors did not shrink at all. These results are suggestive that Shiitake is a highly beneficial treatment for liver cancer.
The Immunomodulating Effects of Arabinoxylan Rice Bran (Lentin) on Hematologic Profile, Nutritional Status and Quality of Life among Head and Neck Carcinoma Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy: A Double Blind Randomized Control Trial (2020)[ii]
This trial included patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatment for head and neck cancer. These treatments are known to suppress the immune system which can lead to further complications for the patients impacting their quality of life. Knowing Shiitakes have been shown to stimulate the immune system, the researchers recruited 65 patients and randomized them into either a treatment or placebo group. Patients were given either 3g of Shiitake or placebo daily for two weeks before the radiation and chemotherapy, during the treatment and for an additional two months.
The group receiving the Shiitake extract overall showed significantly higher levels of various healthy blood markers and less weight loss than the placebo group. Additionally, treatment related toxicity was lower for the Shiitake group. Given this then, not surprisingly, the Shiitake patients reported significantly higher quality of life than the placebo group. The authors noted that Shiitake led to better clinical outcomes, these patients were less likely to need a blood transfusion, less likely to be admitted to hospital and their tumors did not continue to grow, unlike the placebo group. This is strong evidence for the inclusion of Shiitake mushrooms in the diets of those undergoing conventional cancer treatments.
Controlled pilot study for cancer patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome due to chemotherapy treated with BioBran (MGN-3- Arabinoxylane) and targeted radiofrequency heat therapy (2016)[iii]
People with cancer of all types can often suffer from the collection of symptoms known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) which makes participating in basic daily activities very challenging and significantly reduces their quality of life. This study looked at the impacts of Biobran (rice with enzymes extracted from Shiitakes) in combination with heat therapy in thirty patients and compared this to thirty patients who received standard chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The trial lasted for six months. The patients had various types of cancer, but all had been diagnosed with CFS that appeared to be a result of having cancer.
The researchers measured CFS using standardized questionnaires, they also measured whole body pH. Before treatment began everyone had acidic pH values. After treatment the BioBran / heat therapy group had neutral (normal) whole body pH values while the group receiving radiation and chemotherapy continued to have very acidic levels. The BioBran / heat therapy group reported significantly reduced (i.e. improved) CFS scores while the CFS scores for the control group didn’t change. Again, this is strong evidence for the beneficial role Shiitakes can play for those with cancer.
[i] https://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/anticanres/30/12/5145.full.pdf
[ii] https://www.biobran.gr/ipdf/MCN-3_Biobran_2020_Immunomodul_Hematologic_QOL_Carcinoma_Radiation.pdf
[iii] https://www.biobran.org/uploads/research/fce290f162952439da912463941b74cc.pdf