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Are herbal medicines safe to take during chemotherapy for breast cancer? Do they have any role in helping with side effects?
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Expert Answers
Shuniya_Healing (Complementary Care Expert (Verified) ) - 08 / 10 / 2011
The short answer is: Yes, under proper supervision. Unfortunately, in the past, some less-trained herbalists have prescribed herbs to cancer patients in such a way that both the chemotherapy and the herbs are processed by the same organ (e.g., the liver), and therefore the liver gets over-taxed, and the patient ends up in the hospital for a few days. This has led to many oncologists putting down a blanket rule that cancer patients should take no herbs or vitamin supplements during chemotherapy. We wholeheartedly disagree with this blanket rule, especially given the fact that there are numerous, published clinical trials that show the efficacy of herbal supplements for alleviating the side effects of chemotherapy.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, unlike Western Medicine, each person is seen as wholly unique - even if they present with the same illness. Therefore, the herbs we suggest for one breast cancer patient will not necessarily be the same as what we suggest for another breast cancer patient. Take diabetes - you may have diabetes solely because of your diet. In that case, we would suggest certain herbs to help with your appetite. Or, you may have diabetes due to a congenital problem with your pancreas - in that case, we would suggest different herbs.
So, it is impossible to say exactly which herbs are safe to take during chemotherapy, because we would recommend different herbs depending on each person's unique situation. However, the important thing to remember is that the herbalist should know precisely through which organs that person's chemotherapy is being processed (e.g., the liver, or the kidneys), and then to choose herbs that are not processed by that same organ. If they are, then the herbs should be taken no earlier than 5-7 days after the chemotherapy infusion, so as not to over-burden that organ.
Hope that helps,
Kelly Turner, PhD and Aaron Teich, LAc
www.ShuniyaHealing.com
Twitter @ShuniyaHealing
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, unlike Western Medicine, each person is seen as wholly unique - even if they present with the same illness. Therefore, the herbs we suggest for one breast cancer patient will not necessarily be the same as what we suggest for another breast cancer patient. Take diabetes - you may have diabetes solely because of your diet. In that case, we would suggest certain herbs to help with your appetite. Or, you may have diabetes due to a congenital problem with your pancreas - in that case, we would suggest different herbs.
So, it is impossible to say exactly which herbs are safe to take during chemotherapy, because we would recommend different herbs depending on each person's unique situation. However, the important thing to remember is that the herbalist should know precisely through which organs that person's chemotherapy is being processed (e.g., the liver, or the kidneys), and then to choose herbs that are not processed by that same organ. If they are, then the herbs should be taken no earlier than 5-7 days after the chemotherapy infusion, so as not to over-burden that organ.
Hope that helps,
Kelly Turner, PhD and Aaron Teich, LAc
www.ShuniyaHealing.com
Twitter @ShuniyaHealing
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