Coriolus Versicolor - Commonly called the Asian Turkey Tail mushroom. Contains polysaccharides [PSK] and polysaccharopeptides [PSP])-- effective for acute leukemia and stomach, esophagus, colorectal, lung cancer; PS is effective with many types of cancer (at least early and mid-stage cancer), including lung cancer and particularly stomach & colon cancer; NCI reportedly stated that PSK has been "contemplated for use against...mammary cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, such as those of the esophagus, stomach...colon; lung...brain tumors" and that PSP "has...antitumor activities, inhibiting Ehrlich ascites tumors, leukemia, and sarcoma...gastric tumor, lymph, and monocytic leukemia"; good to take during chemo & radiation - including acute leukemia patients.
In terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Coriolus is said to clear dampness, phelgm and heat. Over 400 clinical studies have demonstrated that Coriolus polysaccharide extracts have immune modulating and anti-tumor effects. In vitro and laboratory experiments have demonstrated that Coriolus boosts NK cell activity, inhibits metastic activity, improves interferon and interleukin-2 response, and T cell proliferation. It also counteracts the depressive effect of cyclophosphamide on white blood cell counts. In laboratory experiments Coriolus polysaccharides antagonize immuno-suppression by prednisone, and have radio protective and liver protective effects. Patients using Coriolus as an adjunct to conventional cancer treatments have increased survival rates.
In a study published in Lancet, a group of 262 gastric cancer patients, who underwent gastrectomy followed by chemotherapy, were randomly divided into two groups. The group that was placed on Coriolus during chemotherapy had a survival rate of 73% as opposed to 60% for the group who underwent chemotherapy alone. Another study was conducted on 185 patients with stages I, II, or III non-small cell lung cancer who were treated with radiotherapy. Those with stages I or II who were administered Coriolus had a 39% five-year survival rate as opposed to the 22% and 16% survival rates respectively of patients of the same disease stages who had not received Coriolus. Stage III patients who took Coriolus had a 22% survival rate versus none for the non-Coriolus group.
Cancers that have been reported to respond to Coriolus include stomach, uterine, colon, lung, colorectal, prostate, breast, and liver. In the overall treatment of cancer, Coriolus seems to be most beneficial when used as an adjunct to conventional therapeutic regimens. Researchers suggest that Coriolus appears to counteract the immune suppression of the conventional therapies and the toxic processes of cancer proliferation.
Info from:
http://www.tbyil.com/mushrooms.htm
case studies:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2001_August/ai_78177230/?tag=content;col1
scientific study:
https://www.positivehealth.com/article-view.php?articleid=2121
