Navigating Colorectal Cancer: How Chinese Medicine Can Help
"Explore the role of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in supporting colorectal cancer patients, from managing side effects to improving overall well-being. Discover if this ancient practice could be right for you."
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health concern worldwide, ranking among the most frequently diagnosed cancers and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. In Taiwan, CRC incidence continues to rise, highlighting the need for comprehensive treatment strategies. While conventional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy remain essential, they often come with difficult side effects that significantly impact a patient's quality of life.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is gaining recognition as a valuable complementary approach for cancer patients. It aims to alleviate the adverse effects of conventional treatments and enhance overall well-being. TCM offers a holistic perspective, focusing on restoring balance within the body to support its natural healing processes. However, understanding the prevalence, patterns, and costs associated with TCM use among CRC patients is crucial for informed decision-making.
This article explores the use of TCM by colorectal cancer patients, providing insights into its potential benefits, who is most likely to use it, and the associated costs. By examining a nationwide population-based study, we aim to shed light on how TCM can be integrated into a comprehensive cancer care plan.
CRC’s Global Burden and TCM’s Role
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide and ranks among the highest cancers for both incidence and mortality. The 2025 review in World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology describes traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as having a history spanning thousands of years and reports unique advantages in CRC prevention and treatment. The review also identifies TCM as playing a role at multiple levels of China’s healthcare system.
Conventional Care and Complementary TCM
CRC remains a significant global health challenge, and current treatment efforts focus on improving clinical outcomes and managing treatment-related complications. A 2025 source describes TCM as a promising complementary approach rather than a replacement for established cancer care. Another review characterizes TCM as a multi-component, multi-target, multi-pathway strategy that may complement treatment amid challenges including drug resistance, recurrence, and metastasis.
What Does Traditional Chinese Medicine Offer for Colorectal Cancer Patients?
A recent study investigated the use of TCM among colorectal cancer patients in Taiwan, utilizing data from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). The study analyzed data from 61,211 CRC patients diagnosed in 2007, comparing TCM users and non-users to identify patterns and associated factors.
- Provider Preference: TCM users often preferred private clinics (46.9%), while non-users favored private hospitals (42.2%).
- Visit Patterns: Among cancer-specific TCM visits, 66.6% occurred at TCM outpatient departments (OPD) of private hospitals. Non-cancer-specific TCM visits were more common at private clinics (62.0%).
- Cost Considerations: TCM users experienced lower diagnostic fees and average costs compared to Western medicine (WM) visits and CM non-users.
Emerging Evidence in CRC Research
Recent research has examined Astragaloside IV, or AS-IV, in colorectal cancer cells. In the cited study, researchers selected a 100 ng/mL AS-IV treatment for 24 hours based on the IC50 of AS-IV in CRC cells, and reported that their data confirmed AS-IV as a beneficial anticancer agent in those cells. A separate network meta-analysis evaluated Chinese herbal injections used alongside the FOLFOX regimen in China, where FOLFOX consists of oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin.
Patterns of Chinese Medicine Use
A report by Lam and colleagues examined Chinese medicine use among 786 colorectal cancer participants. Of these participants, 42.9% used only Western medicine, while 57.1% used at least one form of Chinese medicine. Five participants used only Chinese medicine, indicating that use patterns ranged from conventional treatment alone to combined or Chinese-medicine-only care.
The Future of Integrative Cancer Care
The study underscores the potential of TCM as a complementary therapy for colorectal cancer patients. By understanding the patterns of TCM use, healthcare providers can better integrate it into comprehensive cancer care plans, ultimately improving patient outcomes and quality of life. Further research is needed to explore the long-term benefits of TCM and its interactions with conventional cancer treatments.
TCM Within Multimodal CRC Care
Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy remain the main treatments for colorectal cancer. The cited 2023 review notes that CRC has a complex pathogenesis, is prone to metastasis, and involves abnormalities in multiple signaling pathways. It presents TCM as an area of interest while emphasizing the continuing need to improve overall survival and quality of life.
Adjunctive Treatment and Survival Research
A 2025 source identifies a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial examining TCM combined with chemotherapy and cetuximab or bevacizumab for metastatic colorectal cancer. Separately, a 2019 investigation examined the association between Chinese herbal medicine therapy and survival outcomes in colorectal cancer patients with liver-limited metastases. These sources reflect research into both combined treatment strategies and survival outcomes in specific CRC populations.