These days, the buzz in alternative and complimentary cancer treatments is all about mushrooms. It seems unlikely. Mushrooms can be slimy, poisonous, and down right fungal. But science is taking a serious look at medicinal mushrooms and how they fight cancer, tumors, chronic fatigue syndrome, and autoimmune diseases. More studies are coming out everyday showing that medicinal mushrooms strengthen immunity, fight cancer, and shrink tumors. If you are searching for mushrooms for cancer treatment, this article gives you a brief overview of mushrooms from around the world that have proven efficacy in the fight against cancer.

In the research on medicinal mushrooms, science is proving what Eastern Medicine has known for centuries. Mushrooms have been used extensively in China and Japan for thousands of years. Doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine use mushrooms like Reishi, Shiitake, Maitake, and Lion’s Mane to promote longevity and keep the body systems healthy and strong. Mushrooms promote the flow of "chi" throughout the body, increasing energy, removing toxins, and creating an overall feeling of well being. Science is taking a serious look at mushrooms in the fight against cancer. More studies are being performed on the anti-cancer effects of wild mushrooms. In many parts of the world, derivatives of wild mushrooms are being used to treat cancer.

One of the most famous medicinal mushrooms is the Reishi, also known as Ganoderma lucidum. This mushroom is known as "The Mushroom of Immortality" and has been prescribed for at least 3000 years in Eastern Medicine. In 1990 the Japanese government officially listed Reishi mushroom as an adjunct herb for cancer treatment. Reishi is being used with favorable results in cancer research centers around the world. Reishi is perhaps one of the world’s most well-known, widely used medicinal mushrooms. It is available in the whole form, which is a thick, shelf mushroom, and also in tincture, powdered and pill form.

Chaga, also known as Inonotus obliquus, is being used around the world for treating cancer. Historically, the mushroom has been used in Poland and Western Siberia for centuries Russian folklore tells of a fungus that grows on birch trees that is effective in treating a variety of cancers. Chaga "tea" is an infusion of the mushroom given to cancer patients. The U.S. National Cancer Institute has reports that Chaga has been used to successfully treat cancer. Chaga is proving to be one of the most important medicinal mushrooms for cancer treatment.

One of the most widely available mushrooms for cancer treatment is Tramates versicolor, also known as the Turkey Tail mushroom. It grows prolifically throughout North America and is used commercially around the world to fight cancer. PSK, known as "polysaccharide Kureha" is a derivative of the Turkey Tail mushroom. In scientific studies, PSK’s anti-tumor activity is enhanced in combination with radiation and chemotherapy. Improved survival rates in patients who take PSK are widespread. In one study the rate of cancer deaths within 5 years was 21% with PSK and 52% without.

Three important mushrooms for cancer from around the world include the Reishi, Chaga, and the Turkey Tail. These are all available online and at local health food stores. If you are looking to improve your overall health and wellness, be sure to include medicinal mushrooms in your diet or supplement with teas, tinctures, and pills.