Effects of dietary supplementation with medicinal fungus in fasting glycemia levels of patients with colorectal cancer: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with Agaricus sylvaticus medicinal fungus in fasting glycemia of post-surgery patients with colorectal cancer. SCOPE Proctology Ambulatory of Federal District Base Hospital-Brazil. SUBJECTS Fifty-six colorectal cancer patients in postsurgery phase, stadiums phase I, II and II, which followed specific criteria of inclusion and exclusion. INTERVENTIONS All patients were randomized in two groups: supplemented with Agaricus sylvaticus fungus (30 mg/kg/day) and placebo, and were followed up for six months. Subjects were divided later on according to BMI--Body Mass Index, sex and stage. Three fasting glycemia evaluations were carried out throughout the treatment. RESULTS Subjects presented BMI medium = 24.65 kg/m2 (57.1% women and 42.9% men). The placebo group (average age 59.14 +/- 12.95 years) had initial glycemia levels of 94.36 +/- 15.34 mg/dL, after three months 98.12 +/- 15.54 mg/dL (p = 0.03) and in the sixth month 98.52 +/- 9.03 mg/dL (p = 0.01). The supplemented group (average age of 56.34 +/- 15.53 years) had initial glycemia levels of 95.92 +/- 11.64 mg/dL, after three months 94.88 +/- 12.24 mg/dL (p = 0.65) and, in the sixth month, a significant reduction to 92.86 +/- 6.82 mg/dL (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION The results suggest that the dietary supplementation with Agaricus sylvaticus medicinal fungus can significantly reduce fasting glycemia levels of colorectal cancer patients in post-surgery phase.