Effects of b-Glucan on Natural Killer Cells in Patients Recovering from Cancer Treatment: Clinical Trial

Glucan is the most studied immunomodulator. Among its properties, effects on cancer are the closest to clinical use. In our study, we evaluated the effects of short-term supplementation with glucan on NK cells in patients recovering from different types of cancer treatment. NK cells represent a distinct sub-population of lymphocytes endowed with the capacity to kill tumor cells without prior sensitization and form one of the most important defense mechanisms against cancer. To measure the numbers of NK cells, flow cytometer measuring four colors was used. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, we found that adding glucan to the diet strongly increased the number of NK cells in blood.