Cancer ranks as a primary reason for death worldwide. Conventional anticancer
therapies can cause severe side effects, and thus natural products may be promising
drug candidates for
cancer therapy. Accumulating evidence has verified the prominent anticancer properties of Ganoderma
polysaccharides, suggesting that Ganoderma
polysaccharides may be effective chemopreventive agents of natural origin. Based on their abilities to prevent
cancer development by regulating the DNA damage response,
cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, host immunity, gut microbiota and therapeutic sensitivity, there has been increasing interest in elucidating the clinical implication of Ganoderma
polysaccharides in
cancer therapy. In this review, we summarize recent findings pertaining to the roles of bioactive
polysaccharides from Ganoderma in
cancer pathogenesis, discuss the multifarious mechanisms involved and propose future directions for research. A more sophisticated understanding of the anticancer benefits of Ganoderma
polysaccharides will be helpful for improving current treatments and developing novel therapeutic interventions for human
malignancies.