Daily use of a unique mushroom extract called AHCC was linked to markers of improved immune function and in the clearing of HPV (Human Papillomavirus) after six months of supplementation, according to a study published in Frontiers in Oncology.
 
AHCC is a unique natural cultured extract derived from the cell wall of the mycelia of Lentitula edodes (shiitake) mushrooms, and is commonly sold in dietary supplements. It is rich in alpha glucans and other immune-modulating polysaccharides, and has been the subject of more than 20 human clinical studies and over 50 papers published in Medline-indexed journals.
 
According to the CDC, nine out of 10 HPV cases go away on their own within a two-year time frame without health problems. But, when HPV infection is not resolved, it can cause health problems such as genital warts and cancer. HPV affects 80% of sexually active adults at least once in their lifetimes, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.
 
The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II study was led by researchers at UTHealth Houston, and was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. It focused on women with a greater than two-year history of persistent high-risk HPV, and a total of 34 women completed the entire intervention. High-risk HPV is defined as an invisible infection that can only be detected through a tissue swab, and is the leading cause of six different types of cancer, with the two most common being cervical cancer and head-and-neck cancer.
 
Patients in the treatment arm received AHCC for six months daily, followed by six months of a placebo. Patients in the placebo arm received a placebo for the full year.
 
The researchers confirmed that of those who received six months of daily AHCC treatment, followed by six months of placebo, 63.6% (14 of 22) cleared the infection with no adverse side effects. In the placebo arm, only two of 19 patients were HPV-negative at the end of the treatment period, demonstrating the significant association of AHCC.
 
At the time of enrollment, the mean levels of an immune modulator known as IFN-beta were 60.5 ± 37.6 pg/ml, and suppression of IFN-beta to less than 20 pg/ml correlated with an increase in T lymphocytes and IFN-y, and durable clearance of HPV infections in women who received supplementation, indicating a possible area where the mechanism of action took place.
 
“Our results showed that AHCC supplementation helped most patients in the AHCC arm of the trial become HPV-negative therefore decreasing the long-term risk of HPV-related cancers,” said Dr. Judith A. Smith, the lead researcher on the study and professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. “Importantly, through multiple studies, we have shown that the AHCC supplement is safe and readily available, so patients can ask their clinicians about using it to support their immune system in clearing persistent HPV infections.” 
 
“At HPV Cancers Alliance, we envision a world where no one endures the devastation of an HPV-associated cancer,” said Lillian Kreppel, executive director and co-founder of the HPV Alliance and a cancer survivor. “This groundbreaking research provides hope that high-risk HPV patients no longer need to sit and wait to see if their HPV develops into one of six cancers. Instead, they can take actionable steps to support their body’s fight against HPV. And because high-risk HPV is essentially an invisible virus with few detection methods available, all of us should consider taking steps now to support our immune systems naturally and effectively with genuine AHCC.”
 
Endorsements
 
Several medical researchers endorsed this study in identifying a potential step forward in HPV treatment strategies.  
 
"The findings in this study are intriguing and represent an important step forward in treatment strategies to eliminate ongoing high-risk HPV infection. While HPV vaccination represents the best deterrent for cancers associated with high-risk HPV infection, we need treatment options for those patients who do have persistent high-risk HPV.  The data in this study will help guide future interventions for persistent high-risk HPV infection," said Joshua G. Cohen, MD, FACOG, FACS of UCLA.   
 
“After reviewing the study, these findings are exciting because there is currently no treatment available for asymptomatic high-risk HPV,” said Dr. Tracilyn Hall, assistant professor of gynecologic oncology in the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center at Baylor College of Medicine. “High-risk HPV infections often remain dormant for years until another co-factor such as high stress on the body, immune suppression or malnutrition activates cancer pathways.  While prevention of HPV infection with vaccination is ideal, having treatment for persistent HPV is a vital step in lowering cancer risk.”
 
“This exciting work highlights the importance of the patient experience in gynecologic care. High-risk HPV is extremely distressing for women. Detection leads to extra tests, procedures and increased screening which is aimed at preventing a cancer. Patients frequently ask about what they can do to help get rid of this infections and outside of vaccination, we have little to offer. The work provides a low risk adjunct to care that patients can explore to help reduce their risk of cancer while promoting wellness,” added Stephanie Sullivan, MD, assistant professor at VCU Health.