Chinese Herbal Medicines and Cancer Treatments

When looking at the body within a Chinese Medicine (CM) framework, a simple approach is to divide the body into its Yin and Yang and then into Qi, Blood and Fluids. When talking about CM and Cancer and trying to keep the discussion simple, we don't need to consider the Yin and Yang, but only the Qi, Blood and Fluids.

CM views lumps (tumours) as a congestion of the body's vital substances. These substances are the body's fluids, Blood and Qi. For there to be good health these must flow freely and continuously. If there is a slowing of these then there will be either phlegm in the case of fluids, or stasis in the case of Qi or Blood. This condition can be called Stagnation (albeit an extreme variety). It is possible for more than one to exist together and for all three to occur at once. A thickening of one or more of them can result in a lump, which can then progress to a tumour and further into a malignancy.

The causes of Stagnation of Qi and/or Blood and Fluids to form lumps can be due to a variety of factors. It could be due to internal dysfunction of the Organs, emotional disharmony, or external environmental conditions. It is important to state that not all Stagnation will result in Tumours or Cancers; they are extreme cases and require all the factors in place at the right time.

While there is some preliminary evidence that the combined use of conventional medicine and TCM may extend the life of cancer patients, Modern Chinese Medicine does not treat cancer in a speedy fashion and is not as effective as Western Medicine, and therefore should not be used as a primary treatment modality. Cancer patients who wish to use CM along with conventional therapy should speak to their physicians and their Dr of CM, so that a team approach to managing symptoms and aiding in their recovery can be implemented.

Chinese Medicine's main role

CM's main role in modern oncology medicine is an auxiliary role in cancer treatment. It treats side effects of conventional therapies, helps control pain, and helps keep the immune system strong.

Many conventional therapies for cancer have side effects. For chemotherapy, common side effects include the following;

• nausea
• Inflammation of the mucosa in the mouth and esophageus (stomatitis and esophagitis)
• Fatigue
• Low neutrophil (a type of white blood cell) count

Common side effects of surgery are pain, discomfort, and lengthy recovery time. With radiation therapy, common side effects include inflammatory reactions in the areas being irradiated, dryness, thirst, and fatigue.
These side effects are very easily treated with CM and the very minimum that can be achieved is an increase in the quality of life of patients.

The priciple of CM treatment is to help the recovery of the body's natural immune system.

Common Herbs

The common herbs used for such therapy are;
(Huang Qi, astragalus; Nu Zhen Zi, ligustrum; Ren Shen, ginseng; Dang Shen condonopsis; Bai Zhu and Cang Zhu, atractylodes; Ling Zhi. ganoderma; and Dang Gui, angelica sinensis), which strengthen the body's non-specific immunity and increase the functions of the T-cells.

Nearly all of the Chinese herbs used today to treat cancer and other immune-deficient conditions fall into three broad categories;

1. Tonic herbs, which increase the number and activity of immunologically active cells and proteins.
2. Toxin-clearing herbs that clear the blood of pathological organisms and of waste products from the destruction of tumours and germs.
3. Blood activating herbs that reduce the coagulation and inflammatory reactions associated with immune response.

Herbal therapy in cancer treatment can improve appetite, reduce nausea and vomiting, and alleviate stress.

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