Even if I had, however, she might not have followed my advice, because Chinese medicine's credibility has yet to catch up with its sophistication, efficacy, and research.

It's well known that acupuncture can help with palliative strategies in cancer- for pain relief, itching relief, and nausea. The topic examined less often is: can Chinese medicine fight cancer directly? Many acupuncture teachers and practitioners warn us not to claim that it can - they suggest there's some law against us treating cancer, and you can see how reactive conservative doctors might be to idea. They are accustomed to having control of treatment of all cancer, regardless of whether they can help individual patients, or how much damage their therapies cause. Still, there is research and a clinical track record that suggests Chinese medicine can do more than just reduce discomforts.

I can't resolve all by myself in this short space political issues and ethical issues of alternative medical treatment. But, I suggest that if a patient who refuses conventional treatment, then their alternative practitioners should find out everything they can and do all they can to help patient recover, or at least become more comfortable.

Even in my small alternative medicine library, I have 2 books on Chinese herbs for cancer, and a third that summarizes research on natural compounds used in cancer therapy. On PubMed, I found even more scientific references about herbs and breast cancer specifically. It's not case that there isn't research on this topic. Instead, as with much Chinese medicine research, information is either unknown, or unused by Western physicians. What follows is a short summary of scientific information I found (in less than an hour) on alternative medicine and breast cancer. At end, I've provided some herbal formulas for practitioners.

Human Studies on Natural Compounds for Cancer Therapy: John Boik, MacOM, LAc has contributed a weighty work called Natural Compounds in Cancer Therapy (Oregon Medical Press, 2001). It not only reviews hundreds of scientific references, but also explains many specific cancer disease processes. The following human studies are drawn from that book, but their specific references are also included.

Scientific research is done either in vitro (test tube), in animals, or in humans. Knowing that any non-human research is easily discounted by skeptics, I've chosen only human studies. However, other studies are also interesting and helpful, so if you want more, get Boik's book. All of following are specific for breast cancer.

6 Bromelain tablets for 10 days corrected deficient macrophage activity. (1) Vitamin C was found to not necessarily good for breast cancer and may actually have accelerated some patients' deaths, but those who lived had fewer recurrences. (2,3) Eleuthrococcus stimulated immune system in breast cancer patients. (4) Higher levels of fat intake in breast cancer patients was associated with increased risks of recurrence and death. (5) In post mastectomy breast cancer patients, there were higher survival rates among those who took enzymes. (6) Enzyme therapy also improved weight gain, fatigue, depression and quality of life. (6) A diet of 20% fish oil (24g/kg) improved anti-tumor effect of chemotherapy drug mitomycin due to enhanced lipid peroxidation. [This was a combined human/animal study where human cells were studied after transplantation to an animal] (7) Vitamin D3 helps chemotherapy drugs work better. (8)

Chinese herbs for Breast Cancer

I have access to three sources for Chinese herbs and breast cancer. One is a book called Anticancer Chinese Drugs by Lien & Li, which surveys more than 120 plants used to treat cancer, and examines chemical structure and effects of individual compounds from those plants. Below are 4 compounds from this book specifically for breast cancer. Unfortunately, none of these are among 500 or so common Chinese herbs referred to in standard reference, Materia Medica, by Bensky & Barolet. Note that there are closer to 12,000 substances called herbs used here and there in Chinese medicine.