Positive Impact of Complementary Traditional Chinese Medicine on Symptom Management and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients
By
Chien-Wei Tseng
Ya-Ting Hsu
Jing-Shiang Hwang
Yao-Jen Chang
Hsien-Chang Wu
April 20, 2026
Clinical Scorecard: Positive Impact of Complementary Traditional Chinese Medicine on Symptom Management and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients
At a Glance
Category Detail
Condition Breast Cancer Key Mechanisms Adjunctive use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life (QOL) during Western medicine (WM) treatment. Target Population Breast cancer patients receiving Western medicine treatment. Care Setting Integrative oncology practice.
Key Highlights
Adjunctive Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) use linked to improved symptom management in breast cancer patients. Significant improvements in fatigue, dry eyes, and hot flushes observed with CHM. Enhanced quality of life metrics, including reduced physical pain interference and better physical environment perception. Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Utilize standardized questionnaires such as WHOQOL-BREF and Body Constitution Questionnaire (BCQ) for assessing patient-reported outcomes. Management
Consider integrating adjunctive CHM with WM to mitigate side effects and improve QOL. Monitoring & Follow-up
Regularly assess symptom burden and QOL at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months post-treatment. Risks
Monitor for potential adverse effects from both WM and CHM therapies. Patient & Prescribing Data
Breast cancer patients aged ≥18 years receiving WM treatment.
Adjunctive CHM therapy should be considered for patients experiencing significant symptom burden from WM.
Clinical Best Practices
Incorporate patient-reported outcomes in treatment planning. Educate patients on the potential benefits of TCM as a supportive therapy. References
