AHCC® and Cancer: A Deeper Look At The Research
Cancer is relevant to us all, either directly or indirectly by afflicting someone we love dearly. The statistics are pretty shocking.
According to data from the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society (based on cases from 2018–2022), approximately 38.9% of U.S. adults—that is nearly 4 in 10 people—will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetime. The American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts & Figures 2025 also reports a similar figure: about 40% of men and 39% of women will develop cancer over their lifespans.
It’s a frightening epidemic, and although billions is spent every year on cancer research, the improvement is moving at a snail’s pace. Thank goodness, that immunotherapy is becoming more widely accepted and valued by mainstream oncologists. Took long enough!
Instead of poisoning and burning the body to kill the cancer, what if we focused on building up the body’s cells that target cancerous tumors? Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong at ImmunityBio is changing the cancer narrative and shifting the focus to amplifying the immune intelligence and surveillance.
There are additional ways to support the body in it’s anti-cancer efforts, like AHCC.
I don’t say this lightly: AHCC is one of those supplements that everyone in the world needs to know about.
Classified as a functional food, AHCC is the most clinically studied specialty immune supplement in the world with studies on liver disease, HPV, Lyme disease, autoimmune, and even cancer — our topic here.
Before we jump into cancer research, we need to talk about the basics.
What Is AHCC & Why It’s So Unique
AHCC is not a mushroom in and of itself; you can’t go out into the forest and pick an AHCC mushroom and throw it in a stew. Hailing from Japan, AHCC is a combination of compounds extracted from cultured subspecies of mushrooms. The manufacturing process is unlike any other supplement. It’s cultured over many weeks and moves through a very specific, patented enzymatic process to reduce the molecular weight and improve absorption, potency and bioavailability.
The unique molecular structure and increased clinical efficacy of AHCC is one reason why you can’t just eat a bunch of mushrooms or take any old Amazon mushroom supplement and achieve the same incredible results.
That’s a lot of words to say: AHCC is truly one of a kind health supplement.
How AHCC Works In The Body
Contrary to what you might read on Google or wikipedia, AHCC is not an “immune booster.” It’s an immunomodulator, meaning it’s beneficial for those who need a boost as well as those struggling with autoimmune issues and need things calmed down.
It’s amplifying your immune intelligence.
Another unique attribute of AHCC: it’s beneficial for both branches of the immune system, innate and adaptive. Most supplements and pharmaceuticals only affect one or the other.
INNATE
Activates NK cells: These are critical for destroying cancer cells and virus-infected cells. AHCC has been shown in studies to increase NK cell activity up to 300–800%.
Enhances macrophage and dendritic cell function: These cells act as messengers between the innate and adaptive systems, helping the body mount a broader immune response.
ADAPTIVE
Promotes T cell activity: AHCC helps increase the function of T lymphocytes, which are crucial for fighting infections and identifying cancer cells.
Supports antibody production: By helping B cells do their job more efficiently, AHCC contributes to stronger antibody responses — especially important for long-term immunity.
All of these factors improve what’s called immune surveillance — the body’s ability to recognize pathogens, invaders and rogue (cancerous) cells and neutralize them before they become an issue or you even know you are sick.
This is why many people (including myself) take AHCC on a daily basis. I want that protection year round, baby!
AHCC & Cancer Research
AHCC has been evaluated in over 100 preclinical studies, and 30+ human clinical trials — a substantial portion of these are cancer-related. I’m going to cover 3 studies here and if you want more there will be resources at the end. Let’s go.
1. AHCC Suppresses Tumor Growth in Mice
Study: A group of mice were injected with cancerous tumor cells; some mice were given just water (control group) and the others were given an oral AHCC solution (treatment group).
Findings: Researchers observed AHCC enhanced both innate (NK, dendritic) and adaptive (T‑cell) immune responses, leading to improved tumor surveillance and slowed tumor growth. Significant reductions in tumor size were observed.
Conclusion: “Our results demonstrate that AHCC can enhance tumor immune surveillance through regulating both innate and adaptive immune responses.”
2. AHCC Protects Liver Cancer Patients Long-term
Study: 269 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) underwent surgery then approximately half received 3 grams of AHCC per day; the other half served as the control group, receiving a placebo.
Findings: After 10 years, 66% of patients in the control group had cancer recurrence compared to only 34% in the AHCC group. Mortality at 10 years was 20.4% vs. 46.8%, respectively.
Conclusion: “AHCC intake resulted in improved liver function, the prevention of recurrence of HCC after resection, and the prolonged survival of postoperative HCC patients without any adverse effects. Therefore, AHCC treatment is a valuable adjuvant therapy in these patients.”
3. AHCC In Terminal Stages Of Cancer (my favorite)
Study: 195 patients with stage IV cancer (a mix of gastric, colon, liver cell, pancreatic, lung, breast, and ovarian) where other conventional treatments were either not an option or attempted and did not work, were given 6 grams of AHCC per day for 6 months. Other immune stimulants and vitamins were given along with it.
Findings: A significant increase in Natural Killer cells (cancer destroying white blood cell) was observed generally in the group, along with interleukin-12 (immune-regulating chemical messenger). This led to incredible responses from the patients. Out of 195 patients:
17 cases (8.8%) of complete response (tumor disappeared in 4 wks)
97 cases (49.7%) of partial response (tumor shrank 50% or more in 4 wks)
27 cases (of tumor growth stopped, no change in size
54 cases of progression of disease
Conclusion: These results show a remarkable response especially considering that all of the test subjects were at the terminal stage of cancer!
** This study is sourced from AHCC: The Medical Breakthrough in Natural Immunotherapy written by Dr. Fred Pescatore, M.D., M.P.H. I call it my AHCC Bible and recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about AHCC — especially providers and those navigating a cancer diagnosis.
Cancer Care
Although these studies show incredible results, I am in no way encouraging anyone to avoid conventional treatment and only take AHCC. You should absolutely maintain the care of your qualified health practitioner. However, you should absolutely tell your doc about AHCC. No matter what treatment you choose, AHCC is probably goin
In addition to the above jaw dropping studies, there are many more showing AHCC as beneficial for use alongside chemotherapy. In many instances, the AHCC amplifies the anti-cancer effects of chemotherapy while simultaneously decreasing the negative side effects like nausea, liver damage, and hair loss.
In the case that you are reading this because someone you love is going through cancer treatment, please send this directly to that person. I know it might feel like you are overstepping, but you never know who is desperate for additional solutions. Just because they aren’t broadcasting it, doesn’t mean they aren’t looking for extra support.
AHCC For Healthy Individuals
The AHCC information is not meant just for cancer patients — it’s also meant for healthy people who want to stay that way. Remember what I said in the first section? “AHCC is one of those supplements that everyone in the world needs to know about.” In one clinical study with healthy volunteers, researchers observed that 3 grams of AHCC per day for 4 weeks significantly increased Dendritic Cells of the immune system, compared to the placebo group. These cells are critical to a robust immune response: they detect threats like viruses, abnormal cells (including cancer cells), and pathogens — and alert the immune system to respond. Win!
Dendritic Cells are like the sentinels of the immune system; NK Cells are the assassins!
This is why the most common feedback we receive from customers is, “I never get sick anymore!” I myself take Immune Intel AHCC daily and I haven’t been sick in 2+ years. My Natural Killer cells are optimal and my dendritic cells are on point and ready for action.
Two capsules a day is great for general health. Take four capsules if you’re traveling, around someone sick or you are particularly stressed.
Authentic AHCC (This is VERY important)
Put bluntly, there are a lot of fake, phony and diluted wannabe AHCC products out there. AHCC is very expensive to manufacture and provide, so some dishonest people trying to make a quick dollar create fake AHCC products and slap a legit-looking label on it, then throw it up on Amazon or some other fake website.
This is why it’s CRITICAL to purchase AHCC that has been verified by the manufacturer, like Immune Intel AHCC. When you receive one of our bottles, look on the back towards the bottom. You’ll see a seal with a special mushroom symbol ensuring that it is certified, true AHCC, and nothing else!
Each one of our capsules is packed with 750mg of pure AHCC, no other ingredients. This is the largest dose per capsule you can get. This means swallowing fewer pills!
So do you see why I believe every person should know about AHCC?
It’s helpful for everyone ranging from cancer patients to HPV to autoimmune to liver disease to even healthy folks! If you have an immune system, AHCC can help you.
This blog post just scratched the surface of the vast array of AHCC benefits. See some of my other posts to dip into some of the other uses — Eczema, Lyme, HPV…
If you have questions for me, leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram @mimi_themedicin. And as promised, if you want to read more research on AHCC go here.
