Ancient remedies find a fresh role: integration with modern treatments

Conventional treatments for many cancers - lung, colorectal, breast and liver, for example - don't offer much success, especially if diagnosed in later stages, according to Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, acting dean of the school of Chinese medicine at Baptist University. That is why his team of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) oncology specialists and the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society have been collaborating on an integrative clinical approach.

For two years, the team has been conducting an outpatient pilot study to assess patient response to combined approach of conventional chemotherapy treatments integrated with TCM. 'The integrative approach is the new direction for oncology, and because it's safe, it's working,' says Bian.

Although stronger data and more evidence are needed, Bian says this approach has shown to improve the quality of life for cancer patients during and after highly toxic courses of chemotherapy treatment.

There are more than 50 different cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs, with side effects such as fatigue, nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, visceral pain, insomnia, loss of appetite, weakened immune system and vulnerability to bacterial or viral infections. In the pilot study led by Bian, patients experienced a significant reduction in side effects such as nausea and were able to sleep better and function at a relatively high level.

'After taking the Chinese herbs, many patients were able to increase the potency of their chemotherapy treatment, which, in turn, increased their overall chance for improved survival rates,' says Bian. 'Patients also indicated they felt happier, which is significant, as most of these patients might be living longer, but aren't living well.'

He believes the future is bright for an integrative medical approach, especially where cure rates are low. Based on these and other protocols, Baptist University's school of Chinese medicine will now begin clinical trials for further study.