The anti-cancer mushroom!

Submitted by BenAtkinson on 30 December 2015

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men in the UK (40 000 cases) and USA (221 000 cases) diagnosed every year. Much can now be done to treat prostatic cancer but improvements are needed. Perhaps fungi can help?

Every year in the USA approximately 50,000 cancer sufferers exhibit an elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, which can indicate disease recurrence.  A study published in September 2015 demonstrated the effect that the humble white button mushroom (WBM – Agaricus bisporus) has on prostatic cancer by measuring its disease recurrence markers in blood serum (PSA levels). 36 patients were treated in cohorts of 6, each cohort receiving one of six different doses of WBM powder for 28 days which was then increased if no toxicity was observed.  

Amazingly ‘Two patients receiving 8 and 14 g/d demonstrated complete response: their PSA declined to undetectable levels that continued for 49 and 30 months. Two patients who received 8 and 12 g/d experienced partial response. After 3 months of therapy, 13 (36%) patients experienced some PSA decrease below baseline.’ The study appears to demonstrate the ability of WBM to lower PSA and thus presumably its ability to modulate recurrent prostate cancer.

Other studies support the potential anti cancer effect of white button mushrooms in other malignancies. e.g. breast cancer. However, it is important to recognise that positive results in vitro and in animal studies (on which many of these studies are based) are not always replicated in human patients. Although more studies need to be carried out, it’s exciting that such great benefit may come from the humble white button mushroom.