I received a video in a
WhatsApp Chat where a urologist speaking on behalf of a patient with prostate
cancer claimed how his patient was totally cured using cordyceps roots. His
testimony was verified by the patient who was with him.
Following that video claim,
a doctor friend sought my opinion. First, I have not come across such a case
before. We in clinical and medical research designed studies using very
stringent protocols where very large populations are studied with controlled groups.
We do not base our results and conclusion just on one case or on the testimony
of one patient or one doctor. We use very large populations with test and
placebo groups to compare. The sampling is randomized to prevent bias as in RCT
(Randomised Clinical Trials). The physicians who gave the test medicine are
“blind” which is the real medicine undergoing tests, and which ones are the
placebo that has no medicinal value.
The same with the receivers
(patients) of a drug or herbal medicine. They too do not
know which is the real
tablet, and which is the placebo tablet. In other words, neither
the giver, nor the receiver
knows which is the real medicine, and which is just the
placebo. We call this “a
double-blind study”.
Both the real tablet or
medicine and the placebo tablet look identical to prevent bias.
After the trial has ended
over a certain period of time, an independent physician will be called in to
examine and assess both groups. Neither he knows which group was given
the real drug or botanical or herbal medicine, and which group was on the placebo.
He too is blind in that sense. All the data from the clinical and laboratory
investigations or any other findings are collected and statistically analysed
using appropriate mathematical procedures or formula by an independent
biostatistician, and the results reviewed again by an independent team of
researchers before the write up is sent for publication in an international
peer-reviewed scientific journal.
Medical research to test
out a new drug or a new treatment is not so easy as in that video claim by that
urologist / doctor as well as by that patient who both claimed he was
completely cured of his prostate cancer by those cordyceps tablets the patient was
taking. That was just one patient (one sample), not thousands of them
undergoing RCT.
Unfortunately, in that
video, both the urologist and the patient even showed the brand name of the
cordyceps tablets. It was instantly so obvious to me both were advertising a
commercial product. I think that urologist / doctor was highly unethical and highly
unprofessional and highly unscientific to use social media to claim a cure
using some commercial tablets made of cordyceps as a “cure” for prostate
cancer.
I have been in
leading teams of scientists and doctors in medical research in RCT for 25 years
and we know how scientifically and statistically strict we need to be, and how
we need to design the RTC. We don’t use just one patient or select only
one sample, completely without any control group.
In fact, in one study using
cordyceps to treat prostate cancer showed the opposite result. See here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30273008/
However, this does not mean
cordyceps or other botanical medicines from the plants have no medicinal or
curative valves. On the contrary botanical or herbal medicines have
been used for thousands of years in traditional and native medicine across all
civilizations, and they have shown very impressive clinical outcomes without
even needing any RCT to show their clinical efficacies.
The clinical efficacies of
traditional and botanical medicine were through untold trials and errors
showing the same therapeutic results and conclusion unlike modern drug-based
medicines where we need lab based, and evidence-based RCT
Perhaps, to be fair, I need
to describe a bit about this fungus.
Cordyceps, a genus of
parasitic fungi, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries.
One of the most studied species is Cordyceps sinensis, which is reputed for its
various health benefits.
Let me give an overview
regarding the use of Cordyceps for prostate cancer.
The active components and
mechanisms of Cordyceps rest on its active compounds consisting of several
bioactive components, including cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine),
polysaccharides, and sterols, which are thought to contribute to its medicinal
properties. Cordyceps mechanisms of action against cancers probably rest on its
immunomodulation effects on the immune system, potentially enhancing the body's
ability to fight cancer cells. On this note, it may surprise a lot of my
readers and outside readers that most of us have been getting all types of
cancers all their lives without us knowing this. The body silently fight back
without us knowing this. Read here my explanation:
Our Body’s Own Natural
Immunological Battle Against Cancers
https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/2024/05/
The same may have been for
this patient who had prostate cancer, except he knew it though symptoms and
clinical presentations. For the rest of us we do not know cancers have been
lurking all over our bodies at microscales very silently. It is happening all
the time in every one of us, bearing in mind from 1,500 papers published ending on 20 September 2023, the average adult
male human has around 36 trillion cells — that's 36 followed by 12 zeros —
while adult females have 28 trillion and 10-year-old children have about 17
trillion. Most are normal cells with probably 0.001 % of them cancerous cells
in circulation. That is just a passing remark before I continue.
In another words, that patient in the video own immunological system has fought for him to bring his cancer down, and it has nothing to do with the codycep he was taking which his urologist also thought. I am sorry as a former senior clinical-medical researcher, I think both of them were wrong, off tangent in their beliefs. This event has happened in many, many cases in recorded medical history where the patients' cancer confirmed by HPE (histopathological examination) just simply disappeared on their own without any treatment. Let this be very clear to everyone, including specialist doctors. Do not underestimate the natural healing powers of our own bodies God has endowed for us when He put us here in this world
This said, cordyceps also has
strong antioxidant properties to reduce oxidative stress and protect cells from
damage. There is some evidence through studies that cordyceps induce apoptosis
(programmed cell death) including prostate cancer cells. Studies suggest
that Cordyceps can induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells,
including prostate cancer cells. Apoptosis with or without cordyceps happening
in our bodies all the time, very silently without us knowing. That is why there
may be only less than 0.001 % cancer cells circulating in the body all the
time.
This fungus has also
exhibited anti-angiogenesis, meaning, inhibiting the formation of new blood
vessels that supply tumours, thereby restricting tumour growth.
While Cordyceps has shown
promising anti-cancer properties in preclinical studies (cell culture and
animal models), robust clinical evidence in humans, particularly for prostate
cancer, is still limited. Some key points in preclinical studies have demonstrated
that cordycepin can inhibit the proliferation of prostate cancer cells and
induce apoptosis. Cordyceps extracts have shown anti-tumour activity in animal
models, but not in human cells this far that I know. So do many other
plant-based medicines showed the same, and many of these plants have
successfully been used in traditional medicine to treat tumours
There are few clinical
trials directly assessing the efficacy of Cordyceps in treating prostate
cancer. Most existing studies focus on its general health benefits, immune
modulation, and potential adjunctive role in cancer therapy.
Anecdotal reports and case
studies, such as the video claim I received and resent to me for comment by
another doctor suggest potential benefits but are not sufficient to establish a
clear cause-and-effect relationship.
There may be potential
benefits in taking cordyceps as it may offer
supportive benefits for prostate cancer patients, including enhancing overall
immune function, reducing fatigue, and possibly inhibiting cancer cell growth
through various biological mechanisms. As an adjunct to conventional therapies,
it may improve the quality of life and provide additional therapeutic effects.
Having said this, I think
there are limitations due to the lack of large-scale, randomized controlled
trials (RCTs) specifically targeting prostate cancer treatment with Cordyceps.
Then we also have this problem on the variability in the quality and
concentration of active compounds in different Cordyceps supplements. But I
think safety and interaction with food is not a concern as cordyceps are
generally considered safe for most people when taken in appropriate doses. My
concern is the potential interactions with conventional cancer treatments
especially with anti-cancer drugs. This should be considered
While Cordyceps shows
potential as a complementary approach in the management of prostate cancer, it
should not be viewed as a standalone cure. The current evidence supports its
use as an adjunct therapy rather than a primary treatment. Patients interested
in using Cordyceps should discuss it with their and other more expert
healthcare providers including nutritionists and nutritional scientists and
molecular biologists, and researchers in that area of expertise, not just with
the clinician alone to ensure it is appropriate for their specific situation
and to avoid potential interactions with conventional treatments and other
adjunct therapies.
Continued research,
particularly well-designed clinical trials, is necessary to fully understand
the role of Cordyceps in cancer therapy.
For further information,
please visit my blog on:
1.
Synthetic Drugs vs Botanical and Herbal Medicines. Which is Better?
https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/2024/05/my-brother-in-law-ong-geok-soo-senior.html
2.
The Therapy of Choice. Synthetic Drugs vs. Botanical Medicines
https://sg.docworkspace.com/d/sICPzzKWFAdvkmLMG
lim ju boo
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