Antitumor Effects of <i>Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides</i> and their Clinical Applications: An Updated Review

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLPs), the major bioactive components of Ganoderma lucidum , have attracted increasing attention due to their broad-spectrum anti-tumor activities and favorable safety profile. GLPs have demonstrated considerable anti-cancer potential through both direct tumoricidal and immunomodulatory mechanisms. GLPs regulate multiple signaling pathways, including caspase-mediated and mitochondrial apoptosis, Fas death receptor signaling, and cAMP/PKA modulation, ultimately promoting tumor cell death. GLPs function as potent immunomodulators by enhancing dendritic cell maturation, activating T and B lymphocytes, and stimulating macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity, thereby reshaping the tumor immune microenvironment. Clinically, GLP preparations have been applied as adjuvant therapies to conventional cancer treatments to reduce toxicity and improve patient outcomes. Herein, this review systematically summarizes current evidence on the anti-tumor mechanisms of GLPs and evaluates their potential clinical applications in cancer therapy, highlighting their therapeutic potential.