Traditional Chinese Medicine in Cancer Care

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Professionals in Cancer Care

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Traditional Chinese Medicine: an overview ›

Find Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners ›

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Traditional Chinese Medicine: an overview

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in cancer care is grounded in the philosophy of restoring balance and harmony in the body’s energy, or qi, to promote overall health and well-being. It is a highly developed medical system that has been practiced for over 2,000 years and is widely integrated into modern healthcare in China, where it is used alongside conventional Western medicine in hospitals. There are now many TCM practitioners globally. According to TCM, cancer arises from imbalances in the body’s internal systems, particularly disruptions in the flow of qi, blood, and organ function. TCM practitioners focus on treating the whole person rather than just the disease, aiming to support the body’s natural healing processes, reduce side effects from conventional treatments, and improve quality of life. This holistic approach integrates physical, emotional, and spiritual health, acknowledging the interplay between these aspects in the cancer journey.

What do TCM practitioners offer?

TCM employs a variety of therapies designed to restore balance, manage symptoms, and enhance well-being. These therapies often complement conventional cancer treatments and may include:

• Herbal medicine: Herbal formulas including single herbs like astragalus ›, turmeric ›, and reishi mushroom › are used to boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and strengthen the body’s resilience during cancer treatment.
• Acupuncture ›: This therapy is widely used in TCM to manage pain, reduce nausea, and alleviate fatigue, particularly during chemotherapy or radiation treatments.
• Mind-body practices: Techniques such as tai chi and qigong › promote relaxation, improve energy flow, and support mental well-being.
• Dietary therapy: TCM dietary recommendations focus on strengthening digestion and nourishing the body, tailored to the individual’s constitution and health condition.

Together, these therapies work alongside conventional cancer treatments to manage symptoms, enhance recovery, and potentially reduce the risk of recurrence.

Many TCM therapies and herbs have been reviewed in our Supplements and Therapies Database ›, where we evaluate their evidence for medical benefits.

Herb and supplement safety

It’s important to consult a certified clinician if you want to use Chinese herbal preparations. Quality and safety are major concerns, as some herbs sourced from Asia have been found to contain contaminants such as heavy metals, microbes, or DNA from undeclared plants or animals. Multiple studies have reported persistent contamination in some traditional Chinese herbal remedies, so it is essential to source high-quality, properly tested products ›.¹Ernst 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.

Who are TCM practitioners?

TCM practitioners must undergo specialized training to provide safe and effective care. Various certifications are available to certify their expertise:

• Diplomate of Oriental Medicine (Dipl OM)
• Diplomate of Acupuncture (Dipl Ac)
• Diplomate of Chinese Herbology (Dipl CH)
• Diplomate of Asian Bodywork Therapy (Dipl ABT)

Find a TCM practitioner

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Explore the research on TCM-related therapies

Learn about other medical approaches

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• How to integrate your choices
• Making skillful decisions about cancer treatment
• Finding professionals in integrative cancer care
• Integrative medicine at NCI cancer centers
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Authors

Laura Pole, MSN, RN, OCNS

Senior Clinical Consultant

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Laura Pole is senior clinical consultant for CancerChoices. Laura is an oncology clinical nurse specialist who has been providing integrative oncology clinical care, navigation, consultation, and education services for over 40 years. She is the co-creator and co-coordinator of the Integrative Oncology Navigation Training at Smith Center for Healing and the Arts in Washington, DC. Laura also manages the “Media Watch Cancer News That You Can Use” listserv for Smith Center/Commonweal. In her role as a palliative care educator and consultant, Laura has served as statewide Respecting Choices Faculty for the Virginia POST (Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment) Collaborative as well as provided statewide professional education on palliative and end-of-life care for the Virginia Association for Hospices and Palliative Care.

For CancerChoices, Laura curates content and research, networks with clinical and organizational partners, brings awareness and education of integrative oncology at professional and patient conferences and programs, and translates research into information relevant to the patient experience as well as clinical practice.

Laura sees her work with CancerChoices as a perfect alignment of all her passions, knowledge and skills in integrative oncology care. She is honored to serve you.

Laura Pole, MSN, RN, OCNS Senior Clinical Consultant

Nancy Hepp, MS

Lead Researcher

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Ms. Hepp is a researcher and communicator who has been writing and editing educational content on varied health topics for more than 20 years. She serves as lead researcher and writer for CancerChoices and also served as the first program manager. Her graduate work in research and cognitive psychology, her master’s degree in instructional design, and her certificate in web design have all guided her in writing and presenting information for a wide variety of audiences and uses. Nancy’s service as faculty development coordinator in the Department of Family Medicine at Wright State University also provided experience in medical research, plus insights into medical education and medical care from the professional’s perspective.

Nancy Hepp, MS Lead Researcher

Miki Scheidel

Co-Founder and Creative Director

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Miki Scheidel is Co-founder and creative director of CancerChoices. She led the effort to transform Beyond Conventional Cancer Therapies, the prior version of CancerChoices, to its current form. Miki and her family were deeply affected by her father’s transformative experience with integrative approaches to metastatic kidney cancer. That experience inspires her work as president of the Scheidel Foundation and as volunteer staff at CancerChoices. She previously worked with the US Agency for International Development and Family Health International among other roles. She received her graduate degree in international development from Georgetown University, a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from George Mason University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Gettysburg College.

Miki Scheidel Co-Founder and Creative Director

Reviewer of selected sections

Santosh Rao, MD

Medical oncologist and CancerChoices advisor

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Dr. Rao is a medical oncologist, the medical director of integrative oncology at University Hospitals Connor Whole Health, and director of medical oncology for genitourinary cancer at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center. He is the 2022-23 president-elect of the Society for Integrative Oncology. Dr. Rao is also the host of the podcast Integrative Oncology Talk, with support from the Society for Integrative Oncology.

After graduating from the University of Michigan Medical School and completing a residency program in internal medicine at the University of California San Diego, Dr. Rao completed a fellowship in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona and later obtained a board certification in integrative medicine through the American Board of Integrative Medicine. Dr. Rao has trained in Ayurveda and Healing Touch. He also attended the Leadership Program in Integrative Medicine at Duke University. His research interests include genitourinary oncology, sleep, and integrative medicine implementation and program development.

Santosh Rao, MD Medical oncologist and CancerChoices advisor

Christine Mineart, MPH

CancerChoices Team

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Christine has a dynamic background in the life sciences, public health, and program operations. Her career began at the lab bench with a Gates Foundation-funded HIV Vaccine research group, which led her to graduate studies in public health epidemiology at UC Berkeley. Her research experience spans clinical epidemiology research to evaluating the impacts of community nutrition programs in Los Angeles, the Central Valley, and Oakland. Most recently she has worked in executive operations for a seed-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco. Personally, Christine is passionate about holistic health and wellness. She is a clinical herbalist and Reiki master, and she has been practicing yoga for 15+ years. She brings a breadth of experiences to her work leading the CancerChoices program.

Christine Mineart, MPH CancerChoices Team

Last update: October 14, 2024

Last full resource review: August 2021

CancerChoices provides information about integrative in cancer care, a patient-centered approach combining the best of conventional care, self care and evidence-informed complementary care in an integrated plan cancer care. We review complementaryin cancer care, complementary care involves the use of therapies intended to enhance or add to standard conventional treatments; examples include supplements, mind-body approaches such as yoga or psychosocial therapy, and acupuncture therapies and self-care lifestyle actions and behaviors that may impact cancer outcomes; examples include eating health-promoting foods, limiting alcohol, increasing physical activity, and managing stress practices to help patients and professionals explore and integrate the best combination of conventionalthe cancer care offered by conventionally trained physicians and most hospitals; examples are chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy and complementary therapies and practices for each person.

Our staff have no financial conflicts of interest to declare. We receive no funds from any manufacturers or retailers gaining financial profit by promoting or discouraging therapies mentioned on this site.