Delivery Strategies and Mechanisms of Medicinal and Edible Fungal Polysaccharide-Based Antitumor Functional Foods

Fungal polysaccharides (FPs) are a key research focus in natural adjuvant antitumor interventions and functional foods due to their multi‑targeting properties, low toxicity, and favorable safety profile. However, their industrial translation is severely hampered by low oral bioavailability, structural heterogeneity, insufficient tumor targeting, and the complexity of underlying antitumor molecular pathways. In this review, we select five representative medicinal and edible FPs derived from Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps, Sanghuangporus, Poria cocos , and Trametes versicolor . We systematically summarize their physicochemical properties, structural characteristics, and classification, with particular emphasis on the construction strategies and efficacy‑enhancing mechanisms of four major delivery platforms—nanoparticles, hydrogels, biomimetic delivery strategies, and immunomodulatory adjuvants. Furthermore, we comprehensively elucidate the multi‑pathway antitumor molecular mechanisms of these polysaccharide‑based delivery strategies from six interrelated dimensions: cell cycle arrest, inhibition of tumor invasion and metastasis, induction of apoptosis, antitumor immune remodeling, regulation of gut microbiota homeostasis, and anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This review integrates the current knowledge on structure‑activity relationships and delivery strategy optimization, clarifies how delivery strategies potentiate the antitumor activity of FPs, and evaluates their application prospects and developmental potential in tumor‑adjuvant functional foods. Our findings provide a scientific basis and technical reference for precision tumor intervention using medicinal and edible FPs, as well as for the development and industrial translation of natural antitumor functional dietary products.