For Which Cancer Types Should I Avoid Reishi Mushroom Supplement?

Highlights

Nutritional supplements and extracts like Reishi Mushroom have benefits and are used by cancer patients and those at-genetic risk of cancer. There is limited or hardly any clinical data available for use of nutritional supplements and foods in cancer patients. Generating clinical evidence of efficacy for cancer through a randomized clinical trial is further infeasible due to variations in genetics and cancer chemotherapy treatments across cancer patients. Hence a different and new approach is needed to find out for which cancers you should not take Reishi Mushroom supplement and why should not take them?

Is it okay to take Reishi Mushroom extracts or supplements for all cancer indications and any chemotherapy treatment? A common belief but a myth is that everything natural can only be of benefit and do no harm. For example, the use of grapefruit with certain medications is not recommended. Another example is the use of spinach with some blood thinning medications can cause adverse interactions and hence to be avoided. For cancer, nutrition including plant-based foods and supplements can influence outcomes and hence an extremely important decision which needs to be made. Hence NIH-National Cancer Institute has a website for nutrition for cancer care for patients which are generalized recommendations and not personalized for cancer indication and treatments.

A frequently asked question by cancer patients and those at-risk is “What Foods and Nutritional Supplements could be beneficial over others for me?”. “Who should not take an extract or supplement and why?”. Generic guidelines like eating only plant-based-foods or avoiding all sugar or adopting a keto diet is a good start but not actionable and personalized enough.

To find answers to questions on extracts and nutritional supplements and foods requires knowledge of contained active ingredients; genetic mutation prevalence for cancer indication; understanding of underlying cancer biology; chemotherapy treatments and mechanism of actions of active ingredients.

Taking Reishi Mushroom extracts or nutritional supplements may benefit Primary Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma patients on Carboplatin treatment over Green Tea nutritional supplements. But Reishi Mushroom supplements or Reishi Mushroom extracts offer less benefit if on Radiation treatment for Primary Sclerosing Epithelioid Fibrosarcoma compared to Mulberry. Similarly, taking nutritional supplements Reishi Mushroom may benefit healthy individuals who are at genetic risk of cancer due to mutation of gene CALR over Beta-carotene. But avoid nutritional supplements Reishi Mushroom when at genetic risk of cancer due to mutation of gene CDC73.

The takeaway being – cancer, genomics, treatments and other personalized factors will influence decision making to questions like: Are extracts or nutritional supplements Reishi Mushroom beneficial and should not be taken? Why should Reishi Mushroom be not taken? Who should not take Reishi Mushroom? What are side effects of Reishi Mushroom with Radiation chemotherapy? What are the benefits of Reishi Mushroom for cancer? Can Reishi Mushroom help fight cancer and so on.

Whenever there are changes in chemotherapy treatments or cancer tissue genetics – the nutrition may change and hence needs to be re-evaluated. Do consider factors like cancer indication, ongoing chemotherapy treatments and nutritional supplements, age, gender, weight, height, lifestyle and genetics for personalization of nutrition.

Brief Overview

Use of nutritional supplements – vitamins, herbs, minerals, probiotics, and other specialty categories are increasing. Supplements are high concentrations of active ingredients which are also found in different foods. Difference between supplements and foods being that foods contain more than one active ingredient at much lower concentrations. Every active ingredient in an extract or nutritional supplement or food has a unique mechanism of action which can influence nutrition decisions.

These are some example questions which nutrition planning should help answer for you. Should you take supplements Reishi Mushroom? Should you take it when at genetic risk of cancer for mutation of gene CALR? Should you take it when at genetic risk of cancer for mutation of gene CDC73? Should you take it when diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Epithelioid Fibrosarcoma? Should you take it when diagnosed with Primary Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma? Should you take it when on Carboplatin treatment? Should you continue taking it if you change your treatment from Carboplatin to Radiation? So a general explanation like – it is organic and plant-based or it increases immunity is not sufficient information for making a decision of use of Reishi Mushroom extracts and nutritional supplements.

Cancer

Genetic variations across cancer patients can be different and hence no two cancers are alike. The improved availability of “personalized to genetics” chemotherapy treatments and cancer disease monitoring via blood and saliva have been significant factors to improve outcomes. The earlier the lifestyle and treatment intervention – the better the influence on outcome. Genetic testing has the potential to assess cancer risk and susceptibility early. But for at-risk individuals besides regular monitoring in most cases there are no therapeutic treatment intervention options available. After diagnosis with cancer such as Primary Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma or Primary Sclerosing Epithelioid Fibrosarcoma, the treatments get personalized to tumor genomics and factors like staging of disease, age and gender. During cancer remission (after treatment cycle is complete) – monitoring is used for assessment of any relapse and accordingly decide on next steps. A large majority of cancer patients and those at-risk may take nutritional supplements like Reishi Mushroom.

So the question is that are all genetic risks and cancer indications to be considered uniformly when making decisions on the use of Reishi Mushroom extracts or nutritional supplements? Are the biochemical pathway implications of genetic risk for cancer due to mutation of gene CALR the same as due to mutation of gene CDC73? Are the implications of Primary Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma the same as Primary Sclerosing Epithelioid Fibrosarcoma? Is it one and the same if you are on treatment with Radiation or Carboplatin?

Reishi Mushroom – An Extract or Nutritional Supplement

Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum or lingzhi) is a popular fungus used in Eastern medicine. Though Reishi mushrooms can be consumed as food, different parts of Reishi mushroom, including mycelia, spores, and fruit body are also used for producing various products. Reishi mushroom products are available commercially in various forms including powders, liquid, dietary supplements, and tea. (Sissi Wachtel-Galor et al, Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition, 2011) Some of the potential health benefits of Reishi mushroom include:

• May help control of blood glucose levels
• May boost the immune system
• May improve heart health
• May reduce depression
• May reduce infections

However, Reishi mushroom use can lead to certain side-effects in some people such as:

• Dryness in the mouth and throat
• Headaches
• Nosebleed
• Skin Rash
• Itchiness
• Dizziness
• Bloody stools
• Stomach upset

Reishi Mushroom supplements contain many active ingredients including Linoleic Acid, Gpl, Ganoderic Acid and Ergosterol Peroxide at different concentration levels. The molecular pathways which are regulated by Reishi Mushroom include MYC Signaling, TGFB Signaling, Adherens junction and Cytokine Signaling. These biochemical pathways directly or indirectly regulate specific cancer molecular endpoints like growth, spread and death of cancer cells. Because of this biological regulation – for cancer nutrition, the right choice of supplements like Reishi Mushroom individually or in combination is an important decision to be made. When making decisions on the use of supplement Reishi Mushroom over other nutritional supplements – do consider all these factors.

Who Should not take Reishi Mushroom Supplements and Why?

There is no easy way to answer the question “For which cancers should I not chooseReishi Mushroom nutritional supplements”. Just like the same chemotherapy treatment does not work across patients, for similar reasons Reishi Mushroom in comparison with other nutritional supplements may be beneficial or not. Along with which cancer and associated genetics – the ongoing treatments, lifestyle habits, height, weight and food allergies are all factors in deciding if Reishi Mushroom should be avoided or not and why.

1. Will Reishi Mushroom Supplements benefit Primary Sclerosing Epithelioid Fibrosarcoma patients undergoing Radiation treatment?

Primary Sclerosing Epithelioid Fibrosarcoma is characterized and driven by specific genetic mutations like PBRM1, ATRX and PIK3C2G leading to biochemical pathway changes in TGFB Signaling and Inositol Phosphate Signaling. A cancer treatment like Radiation works through a specific pathway mechanism of action. The goal is to have a good overlap between the treatment and cancer driving pathways for a personalized approach which is effective. In such a condition any food or nutritional supplement which has a contrary effect to the treatment or reduces the overlap should be avoided. As an example, Reishi Mushroom supplement should not be taken for Primary Sclerosing Epithelioid Fibrosarcoma along with treatment Radiation. Reishi Mushroom supplement impacts the biochemical pathway called TGFB Signaling which either promotes drivers of the disease and/or nullifies the treatment effect. Some of the factors which should be considered when choosing nutrition are type of cancer, treatments and supplements being taken currently (if any

2. Will Reishi Mushroom Supplements benefit Primary Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma Patients undergoing Carboplatin Treatment?

Primary Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma is characterized and driven by specific genetic mutations like RELA, ARID1A and KMT2D leading to biochemical pathway changes in MYC Signaling, Immune Evasion Signaling, T-Cell Receptor Signaling, Androgen Signaling, Chromatin Remodeling, Oncogenic Histone Methylation and Amino Acid Metabolism. A cancer treatment like Carboplatin works through specific pathway mechanisms. The goal is to have a good overlap between the treatment and cancer driving pathways for a personalized approach. In such a condition any food or nutritional supplement which supports treatment action or improves the overlap should be considered. As an example, Reishi Mushroom supplements should be considered for Primary Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma along with the treatment Carboplatin. Reishi Mushroom supplement impacts pathways/processes like MYC Signaling which either obstruct drivers of Primary Uterine Corpus Endometrial Carcinoma and/or improve Carboplatin treatment effect.

3. What about Reishi Mushroom Supplements for Healthy Individuals with CDC73 Mutation associated Genetic Risk?

Different companies offer panels of genes to be tested for assessing genetic risk to different cancers. These panels cover genes associated with cancers of the breast, ovary, uterus, prostate, and gastrointestinal system and others. Genetic testing of these genes may confirm a diagnosis and help guide treatment and management decisions. Identification of a disease-causing variant may also guide testing and diagnosis of at-risk relatives. CDC73 is one of the genes generally available in panels for cancer risk testing.

CDC73 mutation causes biochemical pathways/processes like Adherens junction and Cell Cycle Checkpoints to get impacted. These pathways are direct or indirect drivers of cancer molecular endpoints. Reishi Mushroom should not be taken when the genetic panel identifies mutation of CDC73 for Neuroendocrine Cancer. Reishi Mushroom impacts pathways/processes like Adherens junction and creates adverse conditions with CDC73.

4. What about Reishi Mushroom Supplements for Healthy Individuals with CALR Mutation associated Genetic Risk?

CALR is one of the genes available in panels for cancer risk testing. CALR mutation causes biochemical pathways/processes like Cytokine Signaling and Antigen Presentation to get impacted. These pathways are direct or indirect drivers of cancer molecular endpoints. Reishi Mushroom supplements may be considered when the genetic panel identifies mutations in CALR for Myeloproliferative Neoplasms. Reishi Mushroom impacts pathways/processes like Cytokine Signaling and creates a canceling effect in those individuals with CALR mutation.

* Other Factors are also included like BMI, Treatments, Lifestyle Habits

In Conclusion

It is important to remember that cancer chemotherapy treatments and nutrition are never the same for everyone. Food and nutritional supplements like Reishi Mushroom are chosen by you and can influence outcomes.

“What should I eat?” is a commonly asked question by cancer patients and those at-risk. The answer to this question depends on cancer indication, underlying genetics, current chemotherapy treatments, food allergies, lifestyle information, and food preferences.

The addon.life approach to nutrition personalization uses knowledge of active ingredients contained in foods and nutritional supplements, cancer biology, chemotherapy treatment action and genetic mutation prevalence across cancer indications. addon.life team of clinicians, clinical scientists and engineers are experts in cancer biology focusing only on nutrition personalization for cancer patients and those at-risk.

What food you eat and which supplements you take is a decision you make. Your decision should include consideration of the cancer gene mutations, which cancer, ongoing treatments and supplements, any allergies, lifestyle information, weight, height and habits.

The nutrition planning for cancer from addon is not based on internet searches. It automates the decision making for you based on molecular science implemented by our scientists and software engineers. Irrespective of whether you care to understand the underlying biochemical molecular pathways or not - for nutrition planning for cancer that understanding is needed.

Get started NOW with your nutrition planning by answering questions on the name of cancer, genetic mutations, ongoing treatments and supplements, any allergies, habits, lifestyle, age group and gender.

References

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