Posted By:
Sheila Beades
Category:
Integrative Cancer Support
Capturing the attention of scientists and traditional healers alike, the unassuming coriolus mushroom has a distinctive fan-shaped cap with vibrant rings reminiscent of a turkey’s tail feathers. In fact, it is often called the turkey tail mushroom. Nestled within the heart of forests around the world, several cultures have harnessed the therapeutic potential of these mushrooms and modern science has shed light on their remarkable properties. Emerging studies have delved into the potential role of the main constituents of the coriolus mushroom, including PSK (polysaccharide-K) and PSP (polysaccharide peptide), and show promise as adjunctive therapy to conventional cancer care. Turkey Tail Mushroom and Overall Cancer Survival A notable feature of coriolus mushrooms is the capacity to increase overall survival in cancer. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2019, involving data from 13 randomized control clinical trials and 2,587 patients diagnosed with cancer, demonstrated significant survival advantage for those taking the mushroom adjunctively with standard of care treatment. [[i]] Another review in 2015 evaluated 28 studies and showed improvement of various survival measures, including median, 1-, 2- and 5-year survival, in lung cancer. [[ii]] More specifically, in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, a small randomized clinical trial involving 15 patients no...