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Polysaccharides

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Immunotherapy of Cancer

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Abstract

Three kinds of polysaccharides, namely, polysaccharide kureha (PSK), lentinan (LNT), and schizophyllan (SPG), have been approved as anticancer drugs against several kinds of cancer in Japan. All of them are derived from mushrooms, and about 25 years has passed since their clinical approval. Since their mechanisms of action have become elucidated basically and clinically by many investigators, they are discussed here from an immunological point of view. Generally speaking, the immunological mechanisms of polysaccharides are as follows: (1) augmentation of the effect of either chemotherapy or radiotherapy, (2) direct actions on tumor cells, (3) modulation of both innate and acquired immune system, and (4) recovery from immune escape state in tumor-bearing hosts.

Even though polysaccharides might play an important role in immunomodulation under innate or acquired immune system of tumor-bearing host, the understanding of clinical oncologists in regard to polysaccharides is considerably poor. Alternatively the advances in molecular biology and tumor immunology have made a progress in immunotherapy against malignancy, especially in the field of immunological targeting therapy by use of monoclonal antibodies related to immune checkpoint pathway. It is no exaggeration to say that now is the chance for improving both specific and nonspecific immunotherapy against malignancies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Gifu Municipal Hospital, 7-1 Kashimacho, Gifu, 500-8513, Japan

    Yasuyuki Sugiyama M.D., Ph.D.

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  1. Yasuyuki Sugiyama M.D., Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Yasuyuki Sugiyama M.D., Ph.D. .

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  1. Department of Clinical Oncology, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan

    Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi

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Sugiyama, Y. (2016). Polysaccharides. In: Yamaguchi, Y. (eds) Immunotherapy of Cancer. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55031-0_3

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