Integration of Chinese Medicine for Management of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the m ost common malignant tumor in women who do not smoke. Throughout the world, about 1.2 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer and 0.5 million women die of it every year.

How Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Can help to manage Breast Cancer

The general Chinese medical view of woman's breast cancer is cause by the accumulation of melancholic anger, depression, obstruction of the spleen function, reversal of the liver vitality, deficiency of the blood and vitality, Coagulation of blood turn into a hard mass.  Chinese medical treatment during the initial stage is aimed at detoxify, relieving melancholy, softening the hardness, supplementing the blood, and dissipating the stagnate blood.

Breast Cancer roots the basic problem of Liver and Stomach in TCM theory because both of the meridians run cross the breast and nipple. Remove Qi stagnation and dispersing heat from stomach is the basic starting point. Deficiency of vital Qi and immune function weaken cause the qi and blood stagnate further cause phlegm congeal(tumor).

Integration of Chinese Medicine in treatment strategies for the management of Breast Cancer

Chinese medicine in the overall treatment strategy for brease cancer can obtain very good results by improving the therapeutuc effect, raising the quality of life and prolonging the survival period. TCM treatment for supporting Vital QI and dispelling pathogenic factors should be applied throughout the course of treatment with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

1.     Surgery and postoperative period-After the surgery, body’s qi and blood

is deplete. Deficiency of the qi and blood may slow the wound healing. Tx principle -Augment qi and nurish the blood

2.     Radiotherapy side-effects-painful skin, ulceration, swelling and fibrosis dry mouth, irritability dute to heat. Tx principle-Nourish yin and generate body fluids, clear heat and relieve toxicity

3.     Chemotherapy side-effects-gastrointestinal reactions characterized by nausea and vomiting and irregular bowel movement, poor appetite, bone marrow suppression, altered liver function, cardio toxicity, loose hair

The various treatment methods adopted depend essentially on the stage reached by the cancer. Supporting the vital qi and expelling pathogenic factors by material medica should be taken throughout the course of treatment. Alternatively, combine with endocrine therapy

1. Carcinoma in situ: supporting the vital qi and expelling pathogenic factors is the treatment principle.
2. Stage I: mastectomy, lymph nodes dissection. Chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. Supporting the vital qi and expelling pathogenic factors is the treatment principle.
3. Stage II & III: radical mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy
4. Stage IIIb: radiotherapy or chemotherapy ( systemic or arterial intervention)
5. Stage IV: systemic chemotherapy with adjuvant endocrine treatment is suitable

Diet Therapy- eat foods for augmenting Qi, supplementing the blood and regulating the spleen and stomach such as Yam, spinach. Chinese dates( da Zao), Longan. Food for nurish the yin during radiotherapy and moisten dryness

Qigong Therapy-practice strengthening the body

Happy Clover Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine

Jody Hsu Steele L.Ac, Dipl. O.M. MSAOM

www.happycloveracupuncture.webs.com