Mushrooms 'can help beat cancer'

London, November 30 : A mushroom common in Chinese and Japanese cooking can help beat bladder and prostate cancer, according to a new study.

Scientists in the Department of Urology at the New York Medical College found that the maitake mushroom can shrink tumours by as much as 75 per cent and may lead to new treatments.

Lead researcher Dr Sensuke Konno, head of urology at the NYMC, said the breakthrough research on the giant edible mushroom would help in improving the quality of life of cancer sufferers.

"It is very significant because the synergy not only enhances the efficacy of the ­treatment but also improves the quality of life of the patients by reducing the dose of ­conventional therapies significantly," the Daily Express quoted Dr Konno as saying.

Dr Alison Ross, Cancer Research UK's senior science information officer, added: "Many chemotherapy drugs currently in use have been derived from natural substances found in plants so it is not too far-fetched to think that mushrooms could be a valuable source of potential new cancer drugs."

The study was published in the British Journal of Urology.

--ANI