Taipei City Government

Cancer has remained the top cause of death of Taiwan since 1982. Western medicine therapy is still the prevailing standard for treating cancer patients, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, target therapy, etc.

Liu Jia-You, attending doctor of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department at the Linsen Traditional Chinese Medicine Branch of Taipei City Hospital, expresses that while these treatments can increase the survival rate of the patients and decrease the recurrence rate, they also lead to considerable side effects and influence the patients’ treatment course, living quality and prognosis. Therefore, 85% of patients will choose more than one complementary and substitutive therapy within one year.
The Linsen Traditional Chinese Medicine Branch and the Oncology Center of Zhongxing Branch of Taipei City Hospital cooperate to offer outpatient service integrating western and Chinese medicine, and provide individualized medical treatment more aligned with the demands of cancer patients. Besides the use of traditional Chinese medicine to alleviate common symptoms after radiotherapy and chemotherapy, including fatigue, insomnia, reduced appetite and hypoimmunity, acupuncture and moxibustion can also be applied to improve hand and foot numbness and other neuropathies, lymphedema or discomforts after chemotherapy. Cancer patients can also consult health supplements and other alternative medicines during the outpatient service.
Dr. Liu says that often cancer patients or their families may seek various possible herbal medicines at the onset of the illness, but may have ignored the possible hidden dangers, which will do harm to the body in lesser cases and take the lives of the patients in serious cases. He emphasizes that cancer patients should turn to legitimate treatment-seeking channels, understand the doctors’ diagnosis and suggestions for the best anti-cancer treatment, and coordinate with the doctors during the cancer treatment courses, in order to maintain dignity and facilitate a smooth progress on the cancer-combatting journey.