title: Efficacy of oral administration of Lentinula eododes mycelia extract for breast cancer patients undergoing postoperative hormone therapy.
abstract: Extract of Lentinula edodes mycelia (LEM) is currently utilized as an oral biological response modifier (BRM) medicine for cancer patients. However, its effectiveness for breast cancer patients with postoperative adjuvant hormone therapy has not yet been scientifically verified. In this study, we investigated the influence of LEM on the quality of life (QOL) and immune response in breast cancer patients undergoing postoperative adjuvant hormone therapy. Twenty patients were studied in total. They received only hormone therapy in the first 4 weeks followed by hormone therapy and LEM during the next 8 weeks. Laboratory tests, QOL score and peripheral blood cytokine production levels were evaluated during the study period. No changes in QOL or cytokines were noted after the first 4 weeks. In contrast, during the following combined therapy period, improvements were noted in QOL and cytokine levels. Although a future large-scale investigation is necessary to confirm these results, these data suggest that the concomitant use of LEM with postoperative adjuvant hormone therapy improves the QOL and immune function of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Clinical R and D, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science, Japan. pcam@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Nobutaka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takimoto
authors.forename: Riho
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Takanari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uebaba
authors.forename: Masuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Jeffry Michael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Strong
authors.forename: Harukuni
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tokuda
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020074:Lentinula / Q000737:chemistry*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D025282:Mycelium / Q000737:chemistry; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D007155:Immunologic Factors