Efficacy of Oral Administration of Lentinula edodes Mycelia Extract for Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Postoperative Hormone Therapy

Authors: Nobutaka Suzuki, Yuko Takimoto, Riho Suzuki, Takanari Arai, Kazuo Uebaba, Masuo Nakai, Jeffry Michael Strong, Harukuni Tokuda

Journal: Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention

Study Design: 12-week, single-arm, open-label study

Participants: 20 patients being followed up on hormone therapy after surgery for breast cancer

Intervention: All subjects first entered a 4-week observation period, followed by an 8-week period of oral L.E.M. ingestion at 1800 mg daily.

Outcome Measures:

• Blood chemistry tests, hematology tests, urinalysis, and vital sign measurements
• Quality of life (QOL) evaluated using the SF-36 ver.2
• Immune function evaluated by measuring interferon (IFN)γ and interleukin (IL)-10 produced in the peripheral blood

Summary: The study investigated the effects of oral L.E.M. ingestion on the quality of life (QOL) and immune function in breast cancer patients receiving postoperative hormone therapy. The results showed that L.E.M. was safe and well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported. The QOL scores did not change significantly during the 4-week observation period but improved significantly after 4 weeks of L.E.M. ingestion, particularly in the Vitality subscale. The cytokine production levels showed no significant changes in the whole study population. However, in the subgroup of patients with a low IFNγ/IL-10 ratio at baseline, the IFNγ/IL-10 ratio and IFNγ production level increased significantly after L.E.M. ingestion. The study concluded that oral L.E.M. ingestion is safe and may be effective in improving the QOL and immune function in breast cancer patients receiving hormone therapy.