Page 78Turkey Tail mushroom has been the focus of over 400 clinical studies which have
demonstrated meaningful antitumor chemo protective and immunomodulating
effects. Turkey Tail mushroom contains a unique polysaccharide called
polysaccharide-K (PSK) that increases gamma interferon production, improves
T-cell proliferation and enhances immune function. Interestingly it has very little
effect on normal healthy cells. You will recognize this is the chemo drug “Krestin”.
Recent studies indicate that PSK is powerful at destroying tumors by setting up
an antigen-antibody specific response. It is usually prescribed to cancer patients
who have had a tumor removed surgically and are undergoing subsequent
chemotherapy or radiotherapy. It’s particularly useful for colon, lung, stomach
and esophageal cancer and has virtually no side-effects.
In a 10-year study of 185 lung cancer patients 39% of patients who took PSK
survived compared to only 16% in the non-PSK group; that is more than double.
Of stage III cancer patients, 22% survived with PSK but only 5% of patients who
did not take PSK. That’s more than quadruple the survival rate.
In another 10 years study 81% of patients who took PSK survived while only
64.5% of patients with chemotherapy alone survived.
There was a certain amount of euphoria early on about PSK. This needs to be
moderated and the current wisdom in the conventional arena is that PSK can
very significantly increase survival rates when used in conjunction with chemo or
radiotherapy but not necessarily on its own.
I’m speaking about the attitude of my colleagues in Japan, of course. Here in
the USA mushrooms are just laughed at or declared a dangerous fraud by the
medical profession.
The most famous of all.
Next Shiitake. It produces a growth inhibiting beta glucan called Lentinan
(from shiitake’s scientific name Lentinula edodes). Scientific trials of Lentinan
organized by the Japanese government’s Health and Welfare Ministry (like the
FDA) have shown that Lentinan is effective in treating many kinds of cancer.
However it does not have any direct anticancer activity. In other words when
Lentinan is put in a test-tube with cancer cells they are not harmed. But when
injected into the body, Lentinan triggers the production of T-cells and natural