Astragalus

As a whole, people with cancer treated with injected astragalus showed better response to chemoradiotherapy in an analysis of studies. People with advanced lung cancer, advanced stomach cancer, liver cancer, or acute myeloid leukemia treated with astragalus alongside conventional treatment showed benefits in survival and/or response to chemotherapy.

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What is your body terrain? ›

People with cancer treated with injected astragalus together with standard treatment showed higher markers of immune activation in some studies. Increased immune system activation is not always beneficial, so your oncology team needs to determine whether immune activation would be favorable in your situation.

In one small study, people with advanced metastatic cancers (breast, colorectal, head and neck, liver, lung, pancreas, and stomach) treated with intravenous astragalus had lower levels of inflammatory markers.

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People with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or stomach cancer treated with astragalus showed better quality of life and physical function, and fewer gastrointestinal side effects, during chemotherapy. People with advanced NSCLC treated with astragalus had lower rates of bone marrow suppression during platinum-based chemotherapy, but no changes in leukopeniaan abnormally low number of white cells in the blood, leading to increased susceptibility to infection.

In one study, children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with astragalus showed lower incidence of infection after chemotherapy. In small studies, people with advanced metastatic cancers treated with astragalus showed improvements in appetite, fatigue, sleep, and pain.

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We did not find any published evidence investigating astragalus for reducing cancer risk.

• Recommended at least weakly as part of an herbal mixture in clinical practice guidelines integrating traditional Chinese and Western medical care
• Used by many integrative cancer professionals
• Used widely by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine

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• Generally well tolerated and considered safe, but a few side effects are noted
• May interact with anticoagulants, diuretics, and antihypertensive drugs
• May interfere with some chemotherapy drugs and/or affect hormone-sensitive cancers
• Before using this therapy, consult your oncology team about interactions with other treatments and therapies. Also make sure this therapy is safe for use with any other medical conditions you may have.

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• Widely available as a supplement
• Prices are generally low to moderate (less than $2000 US/year)
• Intravenous treatment and injections require administration by a licensed healthcare professional and are more expensive than supplements

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