Efficacy of Orally Administered Lentinula edodes Mycelia Extract for Advanced Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients Undergoing Cancer Chemotherapy: a Pilot Study

This study investigated the influence of Lentinula edodes mycelia extract (LEM), an oral immunomodulator,on immune function and adverse events from chemotherapy. Subjects comprised 1 gastric and 7 colorectalcancer patients. The first course of treatment was chemotherapy alone and the second was chemotherapy plusconcomitant administration of LEM. Adverse events and interferon (IFN)-γ production by CD4+ T, CD8+ Tand CD56+ NK/NKT cells were evaluated at the end of each course. Grade 1 or 2 adverse events were observedat the end of the first course for 6 of 8 patients. In comparison, no patients displayed any adverse events at theend of the second course. Tendencies toward improved IFN-γ production by CD4+ T, CD8+ T and CD56+ NK/NKT cells were also seen. These results suggest that concomitant use of LEM with chemotherapy can decreasethe incidence of adverse effects from cancer chemotherapy among patients with advanced cancer.