Scientific evidence on the supportive cancer care with Chinese medicine.

Cho WC.

Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong SAR. chocs@ha.org.hk

Abstract

Complementary and alternative medicine has been increasingly utilized by cancer patients in developed countries. Among the various forms of complementary and alternative medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine is one of the few that has a well constructed theoretical framework and established treatment approaches for diseases including cancer. Recent research has revealed growing evidence suggesting that Traditional Chinese Medicine is effective in the supportive care of cancer patients during and after major conventional cancer treatments. This paper succinctly summarizes some published clinical evidence and meta-analyses which support the usage of various Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment strategies including Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture and Qigong in supportive cancer care.

PMID: 20673514 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Free Article