Saint John’s Cancer Institute is proud to participate in the White Button Mushroom Prostate Cancer Clinical Trial. Together with the City of Hope, our goal is to support you through the entire process. Contact us today to discuss your eligibility at 310-582-7448.
How do I participate in the White Button Mushroom trial?
Your eligibility is based on several criteria each centered on having received prostate cancer treatment and an elevated PSA therafter, or if you are at lower risk for developing prostate cancer within one year while being watched by your doctor (Active Surveillance). Below are the two groups and their requirements:
Group 1
- Men with a PSA equal to or greater than 0.2ng/ml that has increased after prostatectomy, or a PSA increase of 2.0ng/ml after receiving radiation therapy
- Testosterone levels that are equal to or greater than 50ng/ml
- Received primary local therapy (prostatectomy, radiation, cryotherapy, radioactive seed implantation, or HIFU
Group 2
- Men diagnosed with low and favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer with 12 months or less and on active surveillance
- Clinical Stage T1c-T2a and Gleason score 3+3 or 3+4
- No prior therapy for prostate cancer (surgery, radiation, etc.)
Participants can expect to:
- Take mushroom supplement tablets 2x a day for one year
- Complete a questionnaire and mushroom intake diary
- Schedule blood sample collection and a physical exam
Call us today to see if you are eligible: 310-582-7448
White Button Mushrooms May help in Early Stages of Prostate Cancer–a less toxic approach
This NCI-sponsored clinical trial is an example of rigorous, scientific research aimed to assess the potential role of mushroom-derived supplements in prostate cancer therapy.1
Dr. Przemyslaw Twardowski, Professor of Medical Oncology and Urologic Oncology at Saint John’s Cancer Institute, is a principal investigator for this groundbreaking clinical trial, which assesses the benefits of nutritional supplements in patients with early stages of prostate cancer.
Why White Button Mushrooms?
Dr. Twardowski and his collaborators previously evaluated tablets derived from white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) in patients who had evidence of relapse of prostate cancer after prior therapy with surgery, with and without radiation. Treatment with white button mushrooms has indicated a decrease in Prostate-specific Antigen (PSA) in about 1/3 of patients while some of them experienced durable remissions. High PSA levels often point to the presence of prostate cancer or developing cancer. Targeting people who already have cancer makes it easier to identify the benefit of white button mushrooms.
Even though the exact biological effects of white button mushrooms are not fully known, analysis of blood samples of patients who responded to white button mushroom therapy suggested that anti-cancer activity might have been mediated by a favorable impact on the immune function. More so, various natural products have been linked to possible anti-cancerous effects, however, there is still no scientific evidence to purport those claims.
Who Will Be in the Study?
The clinical trial will evaluate the effects of mushroom tablets on 2 different groups of prostate cancer patients.
- Patients with recently diagnosed, low-risk prostate cancer that does not require immediate therapy with surgery or radiation
- Patients who had prior therapy for prostate cancer with surgery and/or radiation and now have evidence of cancer recurrence based on rising PSA blood test, but have no visible metastases on imaging scans.
Additional Study Parameters
The clinical trial will also collect blood and tissue samples to evaluate the effect of mushroom tablets on a variety of parameters including immune function and changes in cancer regulatory mechanisms.
Goal of the Study
The goal of the study is to evaluate the prospective role of white button mushroom-derived supplements in prostate cancer therapies. With a total of 132 patients enrolled, participants in the study will continue for 1 year and will be closely monitored for responses to treatment. The study is expected to conclude after 3 years of research and analysis.
Study Identifiers
Sponsors: City of Hope Medical Center; National Cancer Institute (NCI)
NCT ID: 04519879
Protocol #: White Button Mushroom
Phase 2
If you feel you may qualify for this trial, please call us today: 310-582-7448