(Press-News.org) LOS ANGELES — Researchers at City of Hope®, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, ranked among the nation’s top 5 cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report and a national leader in providing cancer patients with best-in-class, integrated supportive care programs, now understand why taking an investigational white button mushroom supplement shows promise in slowing and even preventing prostate cancer from spreading among men who joined a phase 2 clinical trial studying “food as medicine.” Looking at preclinical and preliminary human data, the City of Hope scientists found that taking white button mushroom pills reduces a class of immune cells called myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which has been linked to cancer development and spread.
“City of Hope researchers are investigating foods like white button mushroom, grape seed extract, pomegranate, blueberries and ripe purple berries called Jamun for their potential medicinal properties. We’re finding that plant-derived substances may one day be used to support traditional cancer treatment and prevention practices,” said Shiuan Chen, Ph.D., the Lester M. and Irene C. Finkelstein Chair in Biology, 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 new Clinical and Translational Medicine 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.”
The use of naturally derived therapies for cancer treatment — called integrative oncology — is growing in popularity as people become more health conscious and aware of the benefits of whole-person cancer care. Supported by a $100 million gift from Panda Express Co-CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng, City of Hope’s Cherng Family Center for Integrative Oncology is accelerating the research, education and clinical care needed to ensure cancer patients and their doctors have access to safe, proven approaches.
At City of Hope, lab researchers work closely with physicians, allowing for streamlined bidirectional research so that laboratory findings can be taken to patients and what is observed in patients can be taken and put back under the microscope for the development of expedited, more effective cancer treatments.
In mouse models, researchers found that administration of white button mushroom extract significantly delayed the growth of tumors and extended the survival of mice. It also improved T cell immune response through the reduction of MDSC levels in animal models, meaning it improved the immune system’s ability to kill cancer.
The researchers profiled blood draws from some of the men participating in City of Hope’s phase 2 clinical trial. The men were under active surveillance as they took white button mushroom supplements. Focusing on eight participants’ samples before and after three months of white button mushroom treatment, the scientists found that there were less tumor-creating MDSCs and more anti-tumor T and natural killer cells, suggesting white button mushroom rebuilds anti-cancer immune defense and slows cancer growth.
“Our study emphasizes the importance of seeking professional guidance to ensure safety and to avoid self-prescribing supplements without consulting a health care provider,” said Xiaoqiang Wang, M.D., Ph.D., City of Hope staff scientist and first author of the study. “Some people are buying mushroom products or extract online, but these are not FDA-approved. While our research has promising early results, the study is ongoing. That said, it couldn’t hurt if people wanted to add more fresh white button mushrooms to their everyday diet.”
People interested in joining the National Cancer Institute-funded phase 2 clinical trial should visit https://www.cityofhope.org/research/clinical-trials. City of Hope researchers are now focusing on whether the reduction in MDSCs is associated with improved clinical outcomes in patients with prostate cancer.
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The Clinical and Translational Medicine study “Reduction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in prostate cancer murine models and patients following white button mushroom treatment” was supported by a National Institutes of Health grant for City of Hope Core Facilities (P30CA033572), a National Cancer Institute grant to Dr. Chen (CA227230) and a pilot study grant from the Panda Charitable Foundation.
About City of Hope
City of Hope's mission is to make hope a reality for all touched by cancer and diabetes. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S., and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center that is ranked top 5 in the nation for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report at its core, City of Hope’s uniquely integrated model spans cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and a broad philanthropy program that powers its work. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and cancer treatment centers and outpatient facilities in the Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix areas. City of Hope’s affiliated group of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHopeTM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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November 12, 2024—(BRONX, NY)— Marina Konopleva, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Leukemia Program and co-director of the Blood Cancer Institute at the National Cancer Institute-designated Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC), has joined forces with Break Through Cancer, a collaborative medical research foundation that supports teams of scientists as they advance treatments for some of the world’s deadliest cancers. Dr. Konopleva will play a pivotal role in the Eradicating Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) in Acute ...
Patients with a small cranial nerve tumor that can cause hearing loss, vertigo, imbalance and ringing in the ears have typically been watched rather than proactively treated, as the risks of early intervention were thought to outweigh the benefits. However, even those patients benefit significantly from non-invasive stereotactic radiosurgery, a multicenter, international study led by UVA Health physicians has found.
Doctors typically treat larger forms of the tumors, called vestibular schwannomas, while taking a “watch and wait” approach ...
Washington, November 12, 2024—As student absenteeism reaches record highs in schools across the United States, new research finds that student absences are linked to lower teacher job satisfaction, raising concerns that this may exacerbate growing teacher shortages. The findings were published today in Educational Researcher, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association.
The study, by Michael Gottfried and Colby Woods at the University of Pennsylvania, and Arya Ansari at The Ohio State University, is the first ...
(WASHINGTON, November 12, 2024) – Continuous enrollment in Medicaid was associated with a lower rate of a late-stage lymphoma diagnosis in children and adolescents/young adults (AYAs). However, fewer than half of Medicaid-insured patients in these age ranges were continuously enrolled before diagnosis, according to a study published today in Blood Advances.
Lymphoma – which is divided into two types, Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) – is a cancer of the lymphatic system and ...
If knowledge is power, empowering the world with the art and science of negotiation offers even more far-reaching benefits – a more peaceful and prosperous world, according to the INSEAD Negotiation and Conflict Management Collaborative (NCMC).
The Negotiation Course for the World (NCW) is a pioneering effort by the NCMC to make quality negotiation teaching materials and expertise accessible to all, and in so doing, democratise negotiation education. “It is an integral part of the NCMC’s mandate to bring scholars and practitioners together to collaborate on research and education on negotiation and conflict management,” said Roderick Swaab, Professor ...
By Benjamin Boettner
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In a recent study, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have provided new insights into the central role of goblet cells—specialized cells that line the gut—in maintaining a healthy and balanced immune environment within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Led by Dr Fernanda Raya Tonetti, with Dr. Cristina Llorente directing the project and making significant contributions, the study underscores the critical roles of these cells, which act not only as a physical barrier but also ...
The Balkan Network of Science Journalists and the European Federation for Science Journalism are launching a new science journalism guide, this time in Romanian.
From the Field: A Science Journalist's Handbook is the result of a collective effort by more than 20 Romanian journalists and content creators who dedicated their time and expertise to build a 138-page document designed to help journalists navigate the complex world of science reporting.
The guide was coordinated by science ...
SAN ANTONIO — November 12, 2024 — A Southwest Research Institute-led team combined compositional data of primitive bodies like Kuiper Belt objects, asteroids and comets with new solar data sets to develop a revised solar composition that potentially reconciles spectroscopy and helioseismology measurements for the first time. Helioseismology probes the Sun’s interior by analyzing the waves that travel through it, while spectroscopy reveals the surface composition based on the spectral signature produced by each chemical element.
A paper about this research, which ...
Background and Aims
Necroptosis is critical for regulating intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Butyric acid (BA), produced during intestinal microbial metabolism, protects the intestinal epithelial barrier. However, whether necroptosis occurs in IECs during liver cirrhosis and whether sodium butyrate (NaB) can regulate necroptosis have not yet been reported. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether IECs undergo necroptosis in cirrhosis and whether NaB can regulate necroptosis and the related regulatory mechanisms.
Methods
Serum levels of RIPK3, MLKL, and Zonulin, as well as fecal BA levels, were measured and correlated in 48 patients with liver cirrhosis ...
