Table 1.

Selected clinical studies of mushrooms with anticancer activity.

Scientific Name	Type of Study	Major Outcomes	Reference
Agaricus bisporus	Phase I trial, n = 32	Appeared to reduce prostate cancer by decreasing immunosuppressive factors.	[10] *
Agaricus blazei	Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial (RCT), n = 40	AndoSanTM as adjuvant therapy to high dose of melphalan improved a few immune-modulating effects. In addition, increase in serum levels (IL-1, IL-5, and IL- 7) and expression of antibodies and killer immunoglobulin receptor (KIR) genes were observed.	[12] *
Agaricus blazei	RCT, n = 100	Between treated and non-treated groups, there was no significant difference w.r.t. lymphokine-activated killer and monocyte activities among cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Additionally, several side effects were improved by verum only when treated with mushroom extract	[13] *
Agaricus sylvaticus	RCT, n = 56	Significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, IgA, IgM, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure.	[31]
Agaricus sylvaticus	RCT, n = 46	Improved nutritional status with reduced adverse effects (nausea, vomiting, and anorexia), in patients with breast cancer, stage II and III.	[15]
Cordyceps sinensis	Clinical study, n = 36	Jinshuibao capsule (containing constituents similar to Cordyceps sinensis) restored cellular immunological function, improved quality of life (QOL), but had no substantial effect on humoral immune function.	[32]
Ganoderma lucidum	Pilot clinical trial, n = 48	Treated breast cancer patients showed significant enhancements in physical well-being and fatigue with a reduced amount of anxiety and depression.	[19]
Ganoderma lucidum	Open label, n = 36	Ganopoly®® significant increase in mean plasma concentrations of IL-2, IL-6, and IFN-γ, whereas the levels of IL-1 and TNF-α were significantly decreased. The mean absolute number of CD56+ cells was significantly increased, whereas the numbers of CD3+-, CD4+-, and CD8+-expressing cells were just marginally increased compared with baseline levels, with the CD4:CD8 T cell ratios unchanged. PHA responses were enhanced in most patients; and mean NK activity was increased compared with baselines.	[33]
Ganoderma lucidum	RCT, n = 68	A significant increase in Karnofsky scores compared with placebo among the advanced-stage lung cancer patients. Less disease progression. In addition, several cancer-related symptoms and immune parameters were significantly improved in verum.	[34]
Ganoderma lucidum	Controlled clinical Trial, n = 198	Decrease in both number and size of colorectal adenomas for the verum group.	[29]
Grifola frondosa	Phase I/II, dose escalation trial, n = 34	Maitake extracts affects both immunological stimulatory and inhibitory parameters in peripheral blood with treated post-menopausal breast cancer patients.	[20] *
Lentinula edodes	Phase II clinical trial, n = 74	Mushroom extract failed to reduce by >50% prostate- specific antigen in early stage prostrate cancer patients.	[24] *
Lentinus edodes	Clinical trial, n = 62	Administration of L. edodes extract in prostate cancer patients failed to stabilize or halt progression of disease.	[25] *
Schizophyllum commune	Clinical trial, n = 220	Tumor-reducing effect in cervical cancer patients with stage II or III. Time to recurrence was longer in in stage II but not stage III cancer, compared with control group; 48-month survival time of patients with stage II but not stage III cancer in the SPG group was significantly longer than in the control group.	[30]
Trametes versicolor	Controlled trial, n = 60	Significantly improved symptoms of Qi and Yin deficiency in gastric cancer patients after chemotherapy.	[35]

RCT—randomized clinical trial; *—papers also retrieved from SciFinder.