Mushrooms: Alternative Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer
Everyone talks about different treatment options such as drug therapy, chemotherapies and immunotherapies but what about Alternative Treatment? Specially Alternative Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer.
We have always been told, ‘we are what we eat and what we eat affects our physical and mental well-being’. A well balanced diet not only results in better health and over all body composition but also reduces the risk of many chronic diseases like cancer. Although cancer is caused by genetic and environmental factors but adopting a healthy life style too can go a long way, like avoiding cigarettes, limiting alcohol, reaching a healthy weight, and getting regular exercise, limiting calorie rich food, eating vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and one fifth leading cause of cancer death in men as per Global Cancer Statistics 2018. It is prostate tumors that are malignant and occur on the prostate gland. There hasn’t been an assured way to prevent prostate cancer but maintaining a healthy-lifestyle and eating habits have been suggested to lower the risk of cancer. But adding a simple edible fungi (mushroom) to the diet can prevent/cure cancer, thus making it a great Alternative Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer. Medicinal mushrooms and extracts are used worldwide to fight cancer cells and enhance/modulate immune responses. According to a Japanese study published in International Journal of Cancer, data from Miyagi Cohort Study and the Ohsaki Cohort Study was accessed which included 36,499 Japanese men between the ages of 40 and 79 years for a median of 13 years. On the basis of these studies it was concluded that more frequent consumption of mushroom lead to decrease in the risk of prostate cancer than consumption of any other forms of vegetables and fruits, meat and dairy products.
Participants who consumed mushroom at least twice a week reduced their chances of developing prostate cancer by 8% and those who consumed three or more time were cutting down their risk by at least 17%. However, the mechanism by which mushroom reduces the chances of cancer and the mushroom type involved remains unknown.
Mushrooms are known for their bioactive compounds, modulating the immune system through various molecular mechanisms along with up regulation of genes leading to production of anti-inflammatory and anti- cancer cytokines thereby inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis. Further, research is required to find the pathway and the molecular mechanism by which it modulates cancer, along with the type of mushroom and its effects and the amount of daily consumption.
On the other hand an ongoing clinical trial where white button mushroom extracts are being used in treating patients with recurrent prostate cancer and for studying the side effects and the best dose [NCT00779168], might provide the answers we have been looking for in the future. An anti-tumour drug from mushroom might be a possibility for treatment of cancer.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed on this site are solely those of original authors and other contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Positive Bioscience or staff, and/or any/all contributors on this site. Positive Bioscience does not endorse alternative treatments and strongly advises a professional medical consultation.
References:
Ayeka, Peter Amwoga. "Potential of mushroom compounds as immunomodulators in cancer immunotherapy: a
review."Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine2018 (2018).
Bray, Freddie, et al. "Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36
cancers in 185 countries." CA: a cancer journal for clinicians 68.6 (2018): 394-424.
Patel, Seema, and Arun Goyal. "Recent developments in mushrooms as anti-cancer therapeutics: a review." 3
Biotech2.1 (2012): 1-15.
Zhang, Shu, et al. & Mushroom consumption and incident risk of prostate cancer in Japan: A pooled analysis of the Miyagi
Cohort Study and the Ohsaki Cohort Study." International journal of cancer (2019).
https://brainworldmagazine.com/are-we-what-we-eat/
https://www.cancervic.org.au/preventing-cancer/healthy-diet
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cancer-fighting-foods
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/seven-easy-to-find-foods-that-may-help-fight-cancer#1
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/cancer-prevention/art-20044816
https://www.healthstartsinthekitchen.com/2014/04/12/mushrooms-aid-treatment-cancer/
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/mushrooms-pdq
Phase 1 – [NCT00779168]- A Phase Ib Trial of Mushroom Powder in Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer
– By Kartik Sharma
