Agaricus blazei helps cancer patients live longer
Mostly falseThe Claim
Agaricus blazei ('Royal Sun' or 'Himematsutake') extracts are promoted to cancer patients as an immune-boosting supplement that improves treatment outcomes and survival.
Origin
The claim comes from traditional use in Brazil and Japan plus laboratory and animal studies showing anti-tumor and immune-modulating activity.
What Science Says
In a randomized double-blind trial of 40 multiple myeloma patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy, the Agaricus-based extract AndoSan changed several immune markers but produced no statistically significant differences in treatment response, overall survival or time to next treatment. A 2025 pilot RCT in 66 lung cancer surgery patients found better preservation of some immune cell counts, but no significant difference in NK cell activity recovery, cytokines, performance status or quality of life. Human evidence shows immune-marker changes, not better cancer outcomes.
Verdict
Mostly False
Sources
- PMID:25664323 Immunomodulatory effects of the Agaricus blazei Murrill-based mushroom extract AndoSan in patients with multiple myeloma undergoing high dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation: a randomized, double blinded clinical study.
- PMID:41595590 Immunomodulatory Effects of Multivitamin Complexes Containing Agaricus blazei in Patients Undergoing Curative Resection for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Multicenter Pilot Trial.