Trametes robiniophila Murr in the treatment of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women across the world. Trametes robiniophila Murr (Huaier), a traditional herbal medicine, has been used in China to protect human health for about 1600 years. Recent years, Huaier had been proven to be effective for multiple types of malignancies. This systematic review focused on breast cancer treatment, summarizing the curative function of Huaier aqueous extract and polysaccharides in preclinical researches. Huaier could markedly inhibit breast cancer progression with low toxicity, enhance immune response and increase the sensitivity to radiation and chemotherapy. The therapeutic effect of Huaier granule in clinical studies was also included. This review amalgamated the current studies and highlighted the promising role of Huaier and its polysaccharides as complementary alternative medicine in breast cancer treatment.