The Unique Advantages of Integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine in Chinese Cancer Treatment

The unique advantages of integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Chinese cancer treatment stem from the organic combination of TCM's core concepts—such as the holistic view and syndrome differentiation and treatment—with modern medicine's precision medicine and evidence-based medicine. This integration has formed a comprehensive cancer treatment model with Chinese characteristics. This integration is not a simple “stacking of Chinese and Western medicine,” but rather a synergistic approach that leverages theoretical complementarity and therapeutic coordination throughout the entire cancer treatment cycle—including preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative, radiotherapy/chemotherapy, rehabilitation, and palliative care phases. Its unique contributions manifest in the following aspects:

I、Holistic Regulation: Shifting from “Fighting Tumors” to “Balancing the Body”

Modern medical cancer treatment centers on “tumor elimination” (e.g., surgical resection, radiotherapy/chemotherapy, targeted therapy), but often compromises overall patient function due to excessive tumor aggression or immune suppression. Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes a “patient-centered” approach, viewing cancer as resulting from “insufficient vital energy and invasion by pathogenic toxins.” Treatment must therefore balance “expelling pathogens” (tumor suppression) with “strengthening the body” (restoring physiological function).

. Strengthening Vitality and Consolidating Foundations to Enhance Disease Resistance: TCM addresses fatigue, loss of appetite, and leukopenia caused by tumor depletion or chemotherapy/radiation by tonifying qi and blood and regulating organs (e.g., fortifying the spleen, nourishing the kidneys, and supporting the liver). For instance, herbs like Astragalus, Codonopsis, and Atractylodes regulate immune function (enhancing NK cell activity and increasing T lymphocyte counts), helping patients rebuild physical strength and establish tolerance for subsequent treatments.

Regulating the Internal Environment to Suppress the Tumor Microenvironment: Modern research reveals that tumor development is closely linked to “chronic inflammatory microenvironments” and “immune-suppressive microenvironments.” TCM therapies like “promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis” (e.g., Salvia miltiorrhiza, Curcuma) and “resolving phlegm and dispersing nodules” (e.g., Pinellia, Zhebei) indirectly inhibit tumor growth and metastasis by improving local blood circulation, reducing inflammatory factors (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6), and suppressing tumor angiogenesis (e.g., blocking the VEGF pathway).

This holistic balancing approach addresses the limitations of Western medicine's localized targeting—which may result in collateral damage—making it particularly suitable for elderly cancer patients, those with weakened constitutions, or individuals in advanced stages unable to tolerate high-intensity treatments.

II、Reducing Toxicity and Enhancing Efficacy: Alleviating Side Effects of Western Medicine While Boosting Outcomes

While modern medical approaches like chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy can directly destroy tumors, they often come with severe side effects (e.g., bone marrow suppression, gastrointestinal reactions, liver and kidney damage), potentially disrupting treatment continuity. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can significantly “reduce toxicity” in these scenarios while simultaneously “enhancing efficacy” by improving the body's overall condition.

1. Mitigating Radiation and Chemotherapy Toxicity:

- Bone Marrow Suppression: Post-chemotherapy leukopenia and thrombocytopenia are common challenges. TCM employs “tonifying the kidneys to generate marrow” (e.g., Epimedium, Psoralea, Ligustrum) to promote hematopoietic stem cell proliferation. Clinical studies indicate that combining TCM with chemotherapy reduces leukopenia incidence by 30%-50%.

Gastrointestinal Reactions: Chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can be alleviated by “harmonizing the stomach and reducing vomiting” (e.g., Pinellia ternata, Bambusa vulgaris) and “strengthening the spleen and stopping diarrhea” (e.g., Dioscorea opposita, fried Coix seed). Acupuncture (Neiguan, Zusanli) has also been proven to regulate the vagus nerve and reduce vomiting reactions.

Hepatorenal injury: Certain chemotherapeutic agents (e.g., cisplatin) and targeted drugs (e.g., tyrosine kinase inhibitors) may cause liver and kidney dysfunction. TCM employs “detoxifying and unblocking meridians” herbs (e.g., Eupatorium fortunei, Yinchen, Salvia miltiorrhiza) to improve liver enzyme levels and mitigate renal tubular damage.

Enhancing Western Medical Efficacy: TCM improves tumor microenvironment (e.g., increasing tissue oxygenation, inhibiting fibrosis) and modulates immune status, thereby enhancing radiotherapy sensitivity (e.g., post-radiotherapy use of blood-activating herbs reduces hypoxic cells) or chemotherapy efficacy. For instance, clinical studies indicate that lung cancer patients receiving concurrent chemotherapy with “Solidifying the Foundation and Eliminating Tumors Decoction” (containing Astragalus membranaceus, Hedyotis diffusa, etc.) achieve an objective response rate (ORR) approximately 15%-20% higher than those receiving chemotherapy alone.

III、Preventing Recurrence and Metastasis: Comprehensive Management Through “Preventing Illness Before It Occurs”

Cancer recurrence and metastasis are critical factors limiting patient survival. While Western medicine's postoperative adjuvant therapies (such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy) can reduce recurrence risk, they face limitations of “overtreatment” or “incomplete coverage.” Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), however, regulates residual microscopic lesions (“residual toxins”) through “strengthening the body's defenses and expelling pathogens,” achieving prevention before disease manifests.

Postoperative Recovery Phase: Eliminating Residual Lesions

While surgery removes visible tumors, microscopic metastatic foci or “dormant” cancer cells may remain. TCM employs methods like “tonifying qi and nourishing yin” (e.g., American ginseng, ophiopogon) and “detoxifying and dispersing nodules” (e.g., Cynanchum atratum, Smilax glabra) to inhibit proliferation of dormant cancer cells and reduce postoperative recurrence risk. For instance, breast cancer patients who combined surgery with the “tonifying and anti-cancer formula” (containing Astragalus, Angelica, and Scutellaria) showed a 20% lower 5-year recurrence rate compared to surgery alone.

Post-Chemoradiotherapy Consolidation Therapy: Eliminating Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) Following chemoradiotherapy, some cancer cells may develop resistance to treatment or enter a “dormant” state, becoming a source of recurrence. TCM adheres to the principle of “strengthening the body without harboring pathogens, eliminating pathogens without harming the body.” Through long-term (3-5 years) constitutional regulation, it enhances immune surveillance functions (e.g., improving the CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratio) and suppresses MRD proliferation.

Prevention for High-Risk Populations: For individuals with precancerous conditions (e.g., chronic atrophic gastritis, cirrhosis) or those with a strong family history, TCM employs “constitution-based regulation” (e.g., warming yang for yang-deficient constitutions, clearing heat for damp-heat constitutions) to reverse or delay disease progression, thereby reducing cancer risk.

IV、Enhancing Quality of Life: Humanistic Care for “Living with Cancer”

For advanced cancer patients where Western medicine may be limited by excessive tumor burden or drug resistance, TCM's core objective shifts to “alleviating symptoms and improving quality of life,” enabling patients to achieve “dignified survival with cancer.”

Relieving Symptoms and Alleviating Suffering: Common symptoms in advanced cancer include pain, dyspnea, and cachexia (severe wasting). TCM employs internal herbal formulas (e.g., Corydalis for pain relief, Lepidium apetalum for asthma relief), external therapies (e.g., moxibustion for cancer pain, acupoint plaster application for cough improvement), and emotional regulation (e.g., music therapy, psychological counseling) to significantly reduce patient suffering. Research indicates that TCM external therapies achieve over 70% pain relief rates for cancer pain without the addictive side effects of opioid medications.

Adjusting Physical and Mental State: Cancer patients often experience psychological issues like anxiety and depression. TCM's “nourishing both body and spirit” philosophy emphasizes treating both mind and body simultaneously. Through herbal medicine (e.g., Chaihu Shugan San to alleviate depression), acupuncture (stimulating Baihui and Shenmen points to regulate emotions), and TCM wellness guidance (e.g., Baduanjin and Tai Chi), patients' psychological states can be improved, treatment confidence enhanced, and a “positive feedback loop” established.

V、Multidisciplinary Collaboration: China's Model of Integrating Traditional and Western Medicine

The policy of “equal emphasis on traditional and Western medicine” within China's healthcare system has fostered a unique multidisciplinary team (MDT) model for cancer treatment. In Western-led comprehensive oncology care, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays a vital role throughout the entire process:

. Surgical Phase: Preoperative TCM regulation (e.g., qi-tonifying and blood-nourishing) enhances patient constitution and reduces surgical risks; postoperative TCM (e.g., qi-regulating and viscera-unblocking) promotes gastrointestinal recovery and minimizes intestinal adhesions..

Chemoradiotherapy Phase: TCM mitigates toxic side effects, adjusts physical condition, and ensures treatment completion.

. Targeted/Immunotherapy Phase: Herbal medicine alleviates adverse reactions like rashes and diarrhea associated with targeted drugs, or modulates the immune microenvironment to reduce complications such as immunotherapy-related pneumonia and hepatitis.

Rehabilitation/Palliative Care Phase: Primarily relies on TCM, combined with nutritional support and psychological intervention, to maintain the patient's quality of life.

This collaborative model adheres to modern medicine's standardized treatment principles while integrating TCM's strengths in personalized regulation. It is recognized by the international oncology community as the “Chinese Characteristics in Cancer Treatment Paradigm.”

VI. Scientific Validation and Inheritance Innovation: Modern Breakthroughs in Traditional Wisdom

In recent years, the efficacy of TCM in cancer treatment has been progressively validated through modern scientific methods, providing evidence-based support for its application:

Pharmacological Mechanism Research: Techniques such as network pharmacology and metabolomics have revealed the multi-targeted antitumor mechanisms of TCM formulas (e.g., “Xihuang Pills” and “Zilongjin Tablets”), including inhibition of tumor-related signaling pathways like EGFR and STAT3.

. Evidence-Based Medical Evidence: Multiple multicenter randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have confirmed that TCM combination therapy enhances treatment efficacy for common cancers like lung, liver, and stomach cancer. For instance, “Kanglaite Injection” (coix seed extract) has been approved by the U.S. FDA for palliative treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Standardization and Regulation: The National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine issued the “Guidelines for Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment of Tumors,” standardizing TCM syndrome differentiation (e.g., lung cancer categorized as “Qi deficiency with phlegm-stasis” or “Yin deficiency with dry-heat”) and treatment protocols for different cancer types, thereby avoiding the misconception of “one formula for all diseases.”

Concurrently, modern TCM formulation technologies (such as supercritical extraction and nanomedicine) enhance bioavailability, reduce the inconvenience of traditional decoctions, and propel TCM toward precision and internationalization.

Summary: The essence of unique advantages lies in the integration of “systemic medicine” and “individualized medicine”

The distinctive strengths of Chinese cancer treatment fundamentally stem from the complementary advantages of “holistic regulation through systemic medicine” (TCM) and “targeted intervention through reductionist medicine” (Western medicine). This integration not only enhances treatment efficacy but also prioritizes patients' quality of life and humanistic needs, offering a “Chinese solution” for global oncology. Looking ahead, as Chinese and Western medical theories undergo deeper cross-pollination and technologies converge through innovation, TCM's role in cancer prevention and treatment will become increasingly prominent, propelling oncology into a new era of “precision + holistic” care.

Document dated 2025-09-15 09:23 Modify