Introduction
Oncology Acupuncture is a relatively new concept not known or recorded in the classic texts of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) studies. What is the known cause of cancer, from modern research, is a gene mutation caused by environmental toxins. Western, biomedicine, treats cancer with chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.
TCM views Oncology Acupuncture as a crucial, evidence supported integrative therapy and not a cure for cancer itself. TCM also views modern cancer treatments as harsh and disrupts the flow of vital energy or qi and uses acupuncture and TCM herbal supplements to restore balance, mitigate adverse side effects, and improve overall quality of life.
Cancer Treatment Side Effects
Conventional cancer treatment with chemotherapy pharmaceuticals, radiation and surgery has been known to come with side effects. Fatigue is a common one. Others can range from nausea, constipation, diarrhea, peripheral neuropathy, inflammation like sunburns, edema, dry mouth, hot flashes due to hormonal imbalances, pain to a rise in low immunity.
Acupuncture Support
Research has shown effectiveness of acupuncture in an integrative setting working as an adjuvant for those going through modern day cancer treatment. Oncology Acupuncture has been used for cancer treatment side effects ranging from nausea, damaged salivary glands as a result of radiation therapy causing dry mouth, diarrhea, constipation, cognitive health, to chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy.
Herbal Supplement Support
Research shows how LCS101 (Protectival) improve blood counts during chemotherapy, has immunomodulatory effects of the botanical compounds, improve quality of life during chemotherapy, reduce nausea during chemotherapy, and has selective anticancer effects and protection from chemotherapy by the botanical compound. When used with chemotherapy, the botanical compounds did not alter the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Research conducted by Dr. Maimon et.al. on breast cancer also discovered dose dependent Chinese Herbal Therapy (CHT) induced apoptosis in T47D cells. Since breast adenocarcinoma cells are resistant to apoptotic stimuli and apoptosis-inducing chemotherapeutic agents in advanced stages of the disease, this study suggested how an approach combining CHT and chemotherapy might be a good idea for treating resistant breast cancer with a higher therapeutic efficacy.
Since this study was conducted in 2010, patients that used LCS101 (Protectival) showed a higher quality of life, when taken as recommended, compared to others who only used chemotherapy as their only mode of treatment.
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Medicinal Mushrooms
Common chemotherapy side effects reduced from taking medicinal mushrooms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle pain. From one small study, medicinal mushrooms, some of which have been used in TCM, has a positive effect on reduciing toxicity of chemotherapy, improving the patient's quality of life, have good cytokine response waking the immune system and potentially improve clinical results in some cases.
Of the 39 who participated in the study, 31 reported a positive outcome while 2 reported worsening effects. While some reported a neutral effect on survival outcome.
Diet recommendations
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References:
Maimon, Y., Karaush, V., Yaal-Hahoshen, N., Ben-Yosef, R., Ron, I., Vexler, A., & Lev-Ari, S. (2010). Effect of Chinese herbal therapy on breast cancer adenocarcinoma cell lines. Journal of International Medical Research, 38(6), 2033–2039. https://doi.org/10.1177/147323001003800617
Narayanan, S., de Mores, A. R., Cohen, L., Anwar, M. M., Lazar, F., Hicklen, R., Lopez, G., Yang, P., & Bruera, E. (2023). Medicinal Mushroom Supplements in cancer: A systematic review of Clinical Studies. Current Oncology Reports, 25(6), 569–587. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-023-01408-2
National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Side effects of cancer treatment. NCI. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects
Thomme, G. V. (2025, June 5). Acupuncture during cancer treatment: What to know. UT MD Anderson. https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/acupuncture-during-cancer-treatment-what-to-know.h00-159777234.html
Yaal-Hahoshen, N., Maimon, Y., Siegelmann-Danieli, N., Lev-Ari, S., Ron, I. G., Sperber, F., Samuels, N., Shoham, J., & Merimsky, O. (2011). A prospective, controlled study of the botanical compound mixture LCS101 for chemotherapy-induced hematological complications in breast cancer. The Oncologist, 16(9), 1197–1202. https://doi.org/10.1634/theoncologist.2011-0150
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