WK5Discuss
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Walden University *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
4006
Subject
Medicine
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
2
Uploaded by smurraybu
Over the last decade, the medical community has made leaps and bounds surrounding
cancer detection and treatment. With the recent increase in awareness of the positive effects of
healthy whole-food diets, there has been an increase in the study of alternative therapies and
cancer treatments, including herbs and medicinal mushrooms. The push away from big food and
big pharma has allowed alternative and complementary medicinal treatment to come from
various herbs and mushrooms. The NIH now recognizes eastern medicines such as turkey tail
and Reishi mushrooms for their glycoprotein chains that positively increase natural killer cells
(NK) within the body and ultimately decrease tumor size (Benson et al., 2019). Another recent
mushroom of interest is the Reishi mushroom, which has similar immune system activation
related to cancer-fighting and prevention by triggering lymphocytes and monocytes within the
body (National Cancer Institute, 2023). These mushrooms and others, such as lion's mane and
cordyceps, are now being explored for their anticancer properties and dementia treatment and
prevention (Chaitanya et al., 2019).
The medicinal effects of these mushrooms have been known in Eastern medicine for
thousands of years, and Western medicine has begun studying the molecular compounds and
effects on the immune system in just the last twenty years (Wasser, 2010). Limited research
studies hamper providers' more accepted use of alternative and complementary mushroom
therapies for cancer patients (Kirdeeva et al., 2022). This challenge can be overcome by
providing the patient with a teaching plan. Education first of the alternative, complementary
treatments with specific mushrooms to treat cancer will allow the patient to feel empowered and
informed about their decision. Reviewing potential positive and negative side effects and setting
realistic goals with the patient can also aid physical and mental well-being while dealing with a
cancer diagnosis. This teaching plan can empower the nurse to look deeper into alternative
cancer treatments and the patient by being involved and having control of their care.
Ethical considerations are minimal; as the information is presented to the patient and
realistic expectations are drawn, the patient controls their decisions and care. As nurses, we have
vast medical knowledge. We can draw upon each other's interests to gain a more specific
understanding of a topic and do EB research to provide the best alternative options and teaching
plans to present to our patients.
References
Benson, K. F., Stamets, P., Davis, R., Nally, R., Taylor, A., Slater, S., & Jensen, G. S. (2019). The
mycelium of the Trametes versicolor (Turkey tail) mushroom and its fermented substrate
each show potent and complementary immune activating properties in vitro.
BMC
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
,
19
(1).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-019-
2681-7
Chaitanya, M., Jose, A., Ramalingam, P., Mandal, S. C., & Kumar, P. N. (2019). Multi-targeting
cytotoxic drug leads from mushrooms.
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical
Medicine
,
12
(12), 531.
https://doi.org/10.4103/1995-7645.272482
Kirdeeva, Y., Fedorova, O., Daks, A., Barlev, N. A., & Shuvalov, O. (2022). How Should the
Worldwide Knowledge of Traditional Cancer Healing Be Integrated with Herbs and
Mushrooms into Modern Molecular Pharmacology?
Pharmaceuticals
,
15
(7),
868. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph15070868
National Cancer Institute (2023, January 13).
Mushroom
. https://www.cancer.gov/about-
cancer/treatment/cam/hp/mushrooms-pdq#_7
Wasser, S. P. (2010). Medicinal mushroom science: history, current status, future trends, and
unsolved problems.
International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms
,
12
(1), 1–
16. https://doi.org/10.1615/intjmedmushr.v12.i1.10
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help