Coriolus versicolor to Treat Cancer - Quick Reference Sheet
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Coriolus versicolor to Treat Cancer

Created on 09/21/2026 – Quick Reference based on Evidence Review created using AI4L / Opus 5 – Audit

Two licensed extracts of this wood-decay mushroom have been added to cancer surgery and chemotherapy in Japan and China for decades. The strongest finding is a small survival gain when the Japanese extract is added to chemotherapy after stomach or bowel cancer surgery. Harms are minor. Western retail products are a different material from what was studied. (Full Review)

Protocol

Standard Japanese extract regimen
3 g polysaccharide-K daily
Orally, 1 g three times daily with meals, from recovery after curative resection, alongside fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy for one to three years
Standard Chinese extract regimen
~3 g polysaccharopeptide daily
Divided oral doses, concurrent with chemotherapy or radiation for one to two months rather than years
Whole-mushroom regimen used in Western trials
3–9 g daily
Freeze-dried mycelial powder, divided oral doses; 9 g was the highest dose tolerated, 3 g produced no immune change
Time to effect
Survival differences
3–5 years
Visible only in trial follow-up, not to an individual
Immune markers
Within 6 weeks
Lymphocyte counts and killer-cell activity; drift back after a three-week washout
Symptom and quality-of-life changes
1–2 months
Only alongside active chemotherapy or radiation, not after it ends

Benefits

Contraindications
  • Transplant recipients on maintenance immunosuppression; active graft-versus-host disease
  • Active autoimmune disease requiring systemic immunosuppression (lupus nephritis, rheumatoid arthritis on biologics)
  • Immunosuppressants (tacrolimus, ciclosporin, prednisone ≥20 mg daily)
  • Decompensated cirrhosis, Child-Pugh Class C
  • Known mushroom or mould allergy
  • Pregnancy and lactation
  • PD-L1-positive tumour, where the survival benefit is sought specifically
    •
Key Interactions
  • Fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy (tegafur-uracil, capecitabine): Monitor
  • Mitomycin C, oxaliplatin, docetaxel, cisplatin, paclitaxel: Monitor
  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors (pembrolizumab, nivolumab): Caution
  • Over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen): Caution
  • Over-the-counter acid suppressants (omeprazole, famotidine): Monitor
  • Over-the-counter bulk fibre laxatives (psyllium, inulin): Caution
  • Other beta-glucan supplements (Ganoderma lucidum, Grifola frondosa): Caution
  • Immune-stimulating botanicals (Echinacea purpurea, Astragalus membranaceus): Caution
  • Glucose-lowering agents (insulin, sulfonylureas): Monitor
    •

Risk & Side Effects

  • High: Mild gastrointestinal symptoms
    •
  • Medium: Nail discoloration and darkening
    •
  • Low: Liver enzyme elevation during combined treatment; absent benefit in PD-L1-positive tumours; retail products may not deliver the tested compound
  • Speculative: Immune activation in autoimmune disease or after transplantation; additive blood-glucose lowering; fungal-protein hypersensitivity

Monitoring

Marker Target Why
Absolute lymphocyte count 1.8–3.0 × 10⁹/L Tracks the immune recovery signal sought
Absolute neutrophil count 2.0–5.0 × 10⁹/L Detects the neutropenia that forces dose reductions
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio Below 2.0 Prognostic composite immune-balance marker
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 10–26 U/L Liver enzyme elevation reported alongside chemotherapy
Albumin 4.2–5.0 g/dL Reflects nutritional reserve and treatment tolerance
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) Below 1.0 mg/L Inflammatory background for reading immune change
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) Below 3.0 ng/mL in non-smokers Recurrence surveillance after bowel or stomach surgery
Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) Above 90 mL/min/1.73 m² Baseline organ reserve alongside chemotherapy
Tumour PD-L1 status No established numeric target; positive or negative Identifies whether the survival signal applies at all

Cadence: Baseline off the mushroom, then four weeks, twelve weeks, and every three to six months thereafter, aligned to scheduled oncology bloodwork

Qualitative Assessment

  • Fatigue severity on a consistent 0–10 scale, same point in each chemotherapy cycle
  • Appetite and unintended weight change, weighed weekly
  • Gastrointestinal tolerance — gas, bloating, heartburn, stool consistency — daily through dose escalation
  • Performance status: usual daily activity and planned training without additional rest
  • Fingernail appearance, photographed monthly, to separate darkening from chemotherapy nail change
  • Frequency of infections and treatment delays from low blood counts
Not medical advice. Educational distillation of a single evidence review. Confirm any decision with a qualified clinician, especially in the presence of prescription drugs or chronic conditions.