Asian Pacifc Journal of Cancer Prevention, Vol 15, 2014 4193 DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2014.15.10.4193 Salvage Treatment in Gynecologic Cancer Cases with Lingzhi Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 15 (10), 4193-4196 Introduction Ganoderma lucidum which is commonly known as “Lingzhi” is a woody Basidiomycetes mushroom in the Gonodermaceae or Aphyllophorals family (Jin et al., 2012). It has been widely used in China and other Asian countries in health promotion for thousands of years (Martínez-Montemayor et al., 2011). Furthermore, previous publications have revealed anti- cancer effects of Ganoderma lucidum especially in in vitro studies (Martínez-Montemayor et al., 2011; Zhao et al., 2011; Wu et al., 2012). The bioactive gradients in Ganoderma lucidum consist of triterpenoids, polysaccharides, nucleotides, sterols, steroids, fatty acids, proteins/peptides and trace elements (Zhao et al., 2011). All these substances have been identifed as being involved in many biological activities, including anti- tumor, immunomodulatory, antiviral, antihepatitis, antioxidant, antihypertensive and antidiabetic processes (Zhao et al., 2011). The two most widely used preparations of lingzhi are water extracts from the fruiting body and the spores and both these are popular in the herb market. However, the clinical study of the effect of lingzhi especially in gynecologic cancer patients is still very limited. We have conducted a randomized double blind study over 2 years comparing the effect of lingzhi given in the form of water extract and spores compared with a placebo. Lingzhi in this study was planted in the Royal Project at Amphur Chiangdoa in Chiang Mai province located in the North of Thailand. The extraction process was prepared by the experts from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University. To date, the study is not complete but for safety reasons the protocol 1 Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2 Department of Microbiology, 3 Research Administration Section, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand *For correspondence: psuprase@gmail.com Abstract Lingzhi or Ganoderma lucidum is a popular medicinal mushroom used as a health promotion herb in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years. There have many previous studies about the anti-cancer effects of lingzhi especially in vitro. The present study reports the clinical data of 5 gynecologic cancer patients who achieved stability in the disease after ingestion of lingzhi in the form of fruit body water extract and spores in a salvage setting. This report has been written to enhance the data describing the effect of lingzhi in cancer patients. Keywords: Ganoderma lucidum - gynecologic cancer - salvage treatment RESEARCH ARTICLE Clinical Characteristics of Gynecologic Cancer Patients who Respond to Salvage Treatment with Lingzhi Prapaporn Suprasert 1 *, Chatchawann Apichartpiyakul 2 , Choompone Sakonwasun 2 , Pimonphan Nitisuwanraksa 3 , Rochana Phuackchantuck 3 auditor is checking the code to discover if there is any beneft to patients who received lingzhi and identifed 5 cases with positive responses to it. Hence, we are making a preliminary report on the clinical characteristics of these patients. This data will be enhancing the clinical data of the effcacy of lingzhi in gynecologic cancer treatment. Materials and Methods A randomized double blind controlled trial has been conducted since 2011 to compare the effcacy of lingzhi in the form of water extract and spores’ preparation with that of a placebo of high dose vitamin C in gynecologic cancer patients who had disease progression after at least 2 chemotherapy regimens. Twenty patients were included in each group. All of them had normal bone marrow, hepatic and renal function. After informed consent, the patients were randomly allocated to one of the 3 groups: water extract lingzhi, spores lingzhi and placebo. All the patients and the investigators were blind. The patients received one type of the drug in powder form in the same packaging. The following amounts were present: the lingzhi in the form of body fruit extract 1000 mg per pack, the lingzhi spores preparation 1000 mg per pack and vitamin C 200 mg per pack. They were instructed to ingest one package with 200 ml of distilled water one hour before a meal twice a day in day 1 and 2 then increase the dosage to 2 packages of drug ingested with 200 ml of distilled water before meal two times a day on day 3 and 4. After that the dosage would be increased to 3 packages ingested in the same way for the remainder of the 12 weeks as long as there were no serious side effects. The patients were