Challenges and Considerations in Using Herbs for Cancer

Herbal medicines have become increasingly popular for cancer patients and survivors as a complementary approach to managing symptoms, side effects, and improving quality of life. (Hou et al., 2023), (Nguyen et al., 2024)

Many cancer patients self-prescribe herbal supplements during or after conventional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. However, the use of herbs is often unsupervised, leading to potential adverse effects and herb-drug interactions. (Hou et al., 2023), (Hou et al., 2023)

Integrating Herbal Medicine into Oncology Care

To address the need for better communication and supervision around herbal use, some cancer centers have developed integrative programs to incorporate herbal medicine into oncology care:

1. Establishing an herbal formulary and dispensary with quality-controlled traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbs supported by evidence of safety and efficacy for common cancer-related symptoms. (Hou et al., 2023)
2. Facilitating patient-provider discussions about herbal use through shared decision-making frameworks. This allows patients to communicate openly about their herbal use and get guidance from healthcare providers on appropriate and safe use. (Hou et al., 2023), (Hou et al., 2023)
3. Evaluating the feasibility, patient satisfaction, and safety of these integrative herbal medicine programs in the oncology setting. (Hou et al., 2023), (Hou et al., 2023)

Evidence on Herbal Medicine for Cancer Care

There is growing interest and research on the use of herbal medicines for cancer treatment and symptom management:

1. Several herbal compounds, such as those derived from ginseng, Herba Agrimonia, and white flower Patrinia herb, have shown anti-cancer effects by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and regulating signaling pathways. (Li, 2018), (Li, 2018)
2. Herbal medicines have been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for symptom management in cancer palliative care, with some evidence of improving quality of life and survival outcomes. (Li, 2018), (Li, 2018), (Nguyen et al., 2024)
3. However, more rigorous clinical research is needed to strengthen the evidence base on the safe and effective use of herbal medicines in cancer care. (Hou et al., 2023), (Yang et al., 2021)

Challenges and Considerations in Using Herbs for Cancer

While herbal medicines show promise, there are several important challenges and considerations in their use for cancer care:

1. Lack of communication between patients and providers about herbal use, leading to potential adverse effects and herb-drug interactions. (Hou et al., 2023), (Hou et al., 2023)
2. Variability in quality, safety, and efficacy of herbal products, which are not as highly regulated as pharmaceutical drugs. (Hou et al., 2023), (Kuru, 2023)
3. Limited evidence on long-term effects, drug interactions, and appropriate dosing of herbal medicines, especially in the context of cancer treatment. (Hou et al., 2023), (Shankar et al., 2023)
4. The need for further research to establish the safety and efficacy of specific herbal formulations for cancer-related symptoms and outcomes. (Yang et al., 2021), (Hou et al., 2023)

The Potential of Herbal Medicine in Cancer Care

Despite the challenges, herbal medicines hold significant potential in cancer care:

1. Many anticancer drugs are derived from natural sources, indicating the promise of plant-based medicines. (Nguyen et al., 2024), (Shankar et al., 2023)
2. Herbal medicines may offer complementary benefits for managing cancer-related symptoms, improving quality of life, and potentially enhancing the effectiveness of conventional treatments. (Li, 2018), (Li, 2018)
3. Integrative programs that incorporate herbal medicine into oncology care have shown promising results in terms of patient satisfaction, safety, and patterns of use for common cancer-related symptoms. (Hou et al., 2023), (Hou et al., 2023)
4. Ongoing research and collaboration between traditional and conventional medicine practitioners can further advance the safe and effective integration of herbal medicines into comprehensive cancer care. (Nguyen et al., 2024), (Zasowska-Nowak et al., 2022)