{
  "abstract": "Mushroom-derived polysaccharides are widely promoted as anticancer immune modulators, but interpretation is weakened by imprecise product identity, chemically non-equivalent preparations, and extrapolation across evidence levels. This critical narrative review evaluates beta-glucans, heteropolysaccharides, polysaccharide-protein complexes, crude fractions, modified derivatives, and multicomponent extracts as preparation-specific adjunct candidates. Receptor-level evidence is strongest for general fungal beta-glucan systems, particularly Dectin-1/Syk/CARD9 signaling and conditional complement receptor 3 cooperation; direct transfer of those mechanisms to individual mushroom preparations requires product-specific causal testing. Selected animal studies support myeloid remodeling, dendritic-cell and natural-killer-cell effects, and T-cell activation, but route, exposure, product characterization, and model limitations constrain translation. Human evidence remains heterogeneous: historical randomized PSK studies reported benefit in specific adjuvant chemotherapy settings, a later phase III lentinan trial was negative for overall survival, and small maitake, Agaricus , and pleuran studies mainly report immune surrogates. Direct clinical evidence with checkpoint inhibitors, therapeutic antibodies, or cancer vaccines is not established. The field should therefore move from species-level claims to product-level development with authenticated source material, orthogonal structural analysis, contaminant control, mechanism-linked potency, route-specific pharmacokinetics, tumor pharmacodynamics, and randomized testing against contemporary standard care. Mushroom-derived polysaccharide immunomodulators remain plausible research candidates, but neither the class nor unstandardized mushroom foods or supplements are clinically validated substitutes for established cancer treatment.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Bayelsa Medical University , , ,",
    "Department of Microbiology, Federal University Otuoke , ,",
    "Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University , , ,",
    "Goodnight Family Department of Sustainable Development, Appalachian State University , , ,",
    "Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bayelsa Medical University , , ,",
    "Niger-Delta Institute for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, Federal University Otuoke , , ,",
    "Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Hezekiah University , , ,"
  ],
  "article_type": "review article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sylvester Chibueze Izah"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ebinyo Rebecca Aseibai"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Kingsley Excel Dunga"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Matthew Chidozie Ogwu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Vivian Ibienebakabobo Promise"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Nsikak Godwin Etim"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Irene Nneka Ohanusi"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3xfvtrd8rjsvm.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fonc.2026.1955408",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13662765/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "3xfvtrd8rjsvm",
  "issns": [
    "2234-943X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13662765",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2736|Fungal Biology and Applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214933897",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13662765/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13662765",
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-30",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3xfvtrd8rjsvm.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:21Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13662765",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13662765"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:13Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fonc.2026.1955408",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1955408/full"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2736|Fungal Biology and Applications",
      "subfield": "pharmacology-toxicology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Mushroom-derived polysaccharides in cancer immunotherapy: mechanisms, human evidence, and translational priorities",
  "title_text": "Mushroom-derived polysaccharides in cancer immunotherapy: mechanisms, human evidence, and translational priorities",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:13Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/3xfvtrd8rjsvm",
  "venue": "Frontiers in oncology",
  "versions": []
}