For older men, prostate cancer is a real concern. And no wonder. About 6 in 10 prostate cancers are diagnosed in men who are 65 or older.
Luckily, there are things men can do to help lower their odds of being one of them…
As is the case with most disease, diet is an essential component of any prostate cancer prevention plan. Specific foods have been the subject of research on the potential to protect against prostate cancer.
Among them, mushrooms stand out. A study that followed almost 36,500 men for an average of over 13 years revealed that mushrooms could be a game-changer in the fight against prostate cancer.
Now, further research has given us a more detailed glimpse into exactly how mushrooms might affect prostate cancer…
Mushrooms influence the immune system
Researchers at City of Hope sought to determine why taking a white button mushroom supplement shows promise in slowing or even preventing prostate cancer from worsening. Researchers there focused on data from laboratory preclinical studies and a Phase II clinical trial that studied food as medicine.
They found that taking white button mushroom supplements reduces a class of immune cells called myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). These MDSCs have been linked to cancer development and spread.
The researchers discovered that the administration of white button mushroom extract in mice significantly delayed the growth of tumors and extended survival of the mice. It also improved T cell immune response by reducing MDSC levels, meaning it improved the immune system’s ability to kill cancer cells.
The scientists then profiled blood draws from some of the men participating in the Phase II trial. The men were under active surveillance as they took white button mushroom supplements.
After three months of white button mushroom treatment, the researchers found there were fewer tumor-creating MDSCs and more antitumor T and natural killer cells. This suggests white button mushrooms shore up anticancer immune defense and slow cancer growth.
The bottom line: the medicinal use of white button mushrooms appears to reduce the type of cells that weaken the immune system and allow prostate cancer to spread.
Food as medicine: a burgeoning field of research
The researchers are now focusing on whether the reduction in MDSCs is linked with improved clinical outcomes in patients with prostate cancer.
Dr. Xiaoqiang Wang, a City of Hope staff scientist and first author of the study cautions against self-prescribing supplements without seeking professional guidance.
“Some people are buying mushroom products or extract online, but these are not FDA-approved,” Wang says. “That said, it couldn’t hurt if people wanted to add more fresh white button mushrooms to their everyday diet.”
White button mushrooms aren’t the only food City of Hope researchers are investigating for their potential anticancer properties. Others include grape seed extract, pomegranate, blueberries and ripe purple berries called Jamun.
It’s encouraging that a large cancer center such as City of Hope studies these foods for their medicinal properties. The researchers note that the field of integrative oncology is growing in popularity as people become more health-conscious and aware of the benefits of holistic cancer care.
“We’re finding that plant-derived substances may one day be used to support traditional cancer treatment and prevention practices,” says Dr. Shiuan Chen, a professor and chair of the Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine at Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope and senior author of the mushroom study.
“This study suggests that ‘food as medicine’ treatments could eventually become normal, evidence-based cancer care that is recommended for everyone touched by cancer.”
If you decide to add mushrooms to your diet as a potential prostate cancer preventive, keep in mind that the way you cook them could affect their disease-fighting properties.
Research shows that grilling or microwaving your mushrooms are the best cooking methods for maintaining their health potency, mainly because they will give you more disease-fighting antioxidants.
Sources:
City of Hope researchers discover why taking a mushroom supplement slows or prevents prostate cancer from getting worse — EurekAlert!
Reduction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in prostate cancer murine models and patients following white button mushroom treatment — Clinical and Translational Medicine