Traditional Chinese Medicine
Key Points
- TCM has its own stand-alone system of cancer care, but many of these components are also used as complementary approaches to enhance Western conventional cancer care.
- Research finds that certain TCM therapies are effective and safe in supporting or complementing conventional treatments.
- TCM therapies are used either alone or in conjunction with chemotherapy.
- Preliminary research results show anticancer effects of some TCM therapies.
- Caution is encouraged in using supplements and natural products prepared in Asia. Reports of contamination of some herbal remedies have been reported regularly at least since 2002.
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Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) comprises many components including acupuncture, qigong, massage, Chinese herbs, and Five Element Theory Diet. While TCM has its own stand-alone system of cancer care, many of these components are also used as complementary approaches to enhance Western conventional cancer treatment, manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
Traditional Chinese medicine is perhaps the most widely used of all traditional medicines by US cancer patients. Many patients report demonstrable benefits of TCM when undergoing chemotherapy, radiation or surgery.
TCM in Managing Symptoms
A substantial scientific literature on TCM has found that certain TCM therapies are effective and safe in supporting or complementing conventional treatments. During radiotherapy and chemotherapy, TCM treatment can reduce toxic side effects such as these:
- Myelosuppression (suppression of bone marrow)
- Gastrointestinal reactions such as nausea and vomiting
- Liver or kidney impairment
- Skin and mucosa radiation injuries
- Fatigue
- Anorexia (loss of appetite)
- Thirst
- White blood cell reduction
- Cough
A 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis found improved quality of life with qigong plus mindfulness, Chinese herbal medicine, qigong, and acupuncture. A small 2007 study on colorectal cancer found that Quxie Capsule, a combination of traditional Chinese medicine therapies, improved symptoms and quality of life.
TCM and Anticancer Effects
TCM combined with chemotherapy has improved efficacy—decreasing cancer activity or progression and increasing survival—with fewer adverse reactions compared to chemotherapy alone. TCM, either alone or as an adjuvant therapy, shows anticancer effects in limited, preliminary studies, with examples of herbs given for each effect:
- Induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) of cancer cells (Mylabris, garlic, cinobufacini, Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang, Sho-Saiko-To)
- Increase median overall survival, but not progression-free survival, in colorectal cancer in some studies but not others (Quxie Capsule)
- Promote functions of the immune system (Mylabris, ginseng)
- Promote the activity of lymphocytes, natural killer cells and macrophages (astragalus)
- Prevent the incidence of cancer in patients with precancerous lesions and conditions (quercetin, curcumin, silymarin [milk thistle), ginseng, rutin)
- Increase tumor response to therapy (astragalus)
- Inhibit tumor growth (Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang, Sho-Saiko-To, garlic)
- Inhibit angiogenesis (blood vessel growth to feed tumors) (Ginkgo biloba extract, Scutellaria barbata D., YZXJ formulation)
- Reduce mortality (astragalus)
- Prevent and treat recurrence and metastasis (Juzen-Taiho-To, YZXJ formulation)
In sum, evidence indicates that TCM is worth considering as part of integrative cancer care.
Access
Finding practitioners who have been trained to administer TCM treatments for cancer patients is relatively easy. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine provides a searchable directory, for example.
Cautions
Caution is advised in using herbs prepared in Asia. Persistent reports of contamination of some herbal remedies—sometimes a substantial percentage of those tested—by microbes, heavy metals, and/or DNA of undeclared plants or animals have surfaced over several years. Consult with a certified clinician in choosing Chinese herbal preparations from quality sources.
Written by Laura Pole, RN, MSN, OCNS, and Nancy Hepp, MS; most recent update on April 13, 2021.
- Liu J, Wang S, Zhang Y, Fan HT, Lin HS. Traditional Chinese medicine and cancer: history, present situation, and development. Thoracic Cancer. 2015 Sep;6(5):561-9.
- Lin WF, Zhong MF et al. Efficacy of complementary and integrative medicine on health-related quality of life in cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cancer Management and Research. 2019;11:6663-6680.
- Yang YF, Xu Y, Wu Y. [Clinical randomized double-blinded controlled study on Quxie Capsule in reducing post-operational relapse and metastasis of colorectal cancer]. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2007;27(10):879–882.
- Ye L, Jia Y et al. Traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of cancer and cancer metastasis. Oncology Letters. 2015 Sep;10(3):1240-1250; Liu J, Wang S, Zhang Y, Fan HT, Lin HS. Traditional Chinese medicine and cancer: History, present situation, and development. Thoracic Cancer. 2015 Sep;6(5):561-9; Xu Y, Mao JJ et al. Association between use of traditional Chinese medicine herbal therapy and survival outcomes in patients with stage II and III colorectal cancer: a multicenter prospective cohort study. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Monographs. 2017 Nov 1;2017(52); Zhang T, Yang YF et al. Efficacy and safety of Quxie Capsule () in metastatic colorectal cancer: a double-blind randomized placebo controlled trial. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine. 2018;24(3):171–177; Zhang T, Yang YF et al. Efficacy of quxie capsule in metastatic colorectal cancer: update of a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2019;37(15_supp); Yang YF, Chen ZX, Xu Y. [Randomized controlled study on effect of Quxie Capsule on the median survival time and quality of life in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma] [Article in Chinese]. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2008;28(2):111–114; Yang YF, Xu Y, Wu Y. Clinical randomized double-blinded controlled study on Quxie Capsule in reducing post-operational relapse and metastasis of colorectal cancer] [Article in Chinese]. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2007;27(10):879–882.
- Ernst E. Toxic heavy metals and undeclared drugs in Asian herbal medicines. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences. 2002 Mar;23(3):136-9; Ting A, Chow Y, Tan W. Microbial and heavy metal contamination in commonly consumed traditional Chinese herbal medicines. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 2013 Feb;33(1):119-24; Kim H, Hughes PJ, Hawes EM. Adverse events associated with metal contamination of traditional chinese medicines in Korea: a clinical review. Yonsei Medical Journal. 2014 Sep;55(5):1177-86; Coghlan ML, Maker G et al. Combined DNA, toxicological and heavy metal analyses provides an auditing toolkit to improve pharmacovigilance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Scientific Reports. 2015 Dec 10;5:17475.
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- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Traditional Chinese Medicine: In Depth
- Liu J, Wang S, Zhang Y, Fan HT, Lin HS. Traditional Chinese medicine and cancer: history, present situation, and development. Thoracic Cancer. 2015 Sep;6(5):561-9.
- Ho ZC. Principles of diet therapy in ancient Chinese medicine: 'Huang Di Nei Jing'. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1993 Jun;2(2):91-5.
- Ye L, Jia Y et al. Traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of cancer and cancer metastasis. Oncology Letters. 2015 Sep;10(3):1240-1250.
- Cheng YY, Hsieh CH, Tsai TH. Concurrent administration of anticancer chemotherapy drug and herbal medicine on the perspective of pharmacokinetics. Journal of Food and Drug Analysis. 2018 Apr;26(2S):S88-S95.
- Wang K, Chen Q. Anticancer activities of TCM and their active components against tumor metastasis. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2021 Jan;133:111044.
From Our Resources Database
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