Exploring the Potential of Medicinal Mushroom β-Glucans as a Natural Frontier in Prostate Cancer Treatment

The global increase in cancer cases, particularly prostate cancer, poses a significant health challenge worldwide. Conventional treatments such as surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy offer valuable options but are associated with limitations and potential side effects. As a result, there is growing interest in complementary therapies, including natural compounds such as β-glucans, derived from sources such as yeast and mushrooms. In this review, we explored the potential therapeutic role of medicinal mushrooms β-glucan in prostate cancer treatment. β-glucans has demonstrated anti-cancer properties in preclinical studies, including inhibition of proliferation, induction of apoptosis, and modulation of immune responses. Studies in prostate cancer cell lines and animal models have shown promising results, with β-glucan inhibiting tumor growth, inducing DNA damage, and regulating tumor markers such as p53 and prostate specific antigen. β-glucans acts through various pathways, including stimulation of dendritic cells, modulation of cytokine secretion, suppression of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and enhancement of immune responses. Moreover, β-glucans exhibits anti-androgenic and immune-modulatory effects, making it a promising candidate for prostate cancer treatment. In this study, we also focused on the mechanism of action of β-glucans through various pathways including tumor cell death by oxidative stress created through ROS generation and autophagy. Although preclinical studies support the potential therapeutic efficacy of medicinal mushrooms β-glucans, further research is needed to elucidate its clinical utility and safety in human trials.