Written by Jianping Liu, Xun Li and the CAM-Cancer Consortium.
Updated July 30, 2009

Chinese herbal medicine for advanced pancreatic cancer

Abstract and key points

  • TCM is a holistic system of medicine combining medicinal herbs, acupuncture, food therapy, massage, and therapeutic exercise.
  • Potential benefits reported by studies are weakened by methodological flaws of the trials.
  • Adverse events such as liver damage and kidney damage, and interactions between herbs and drugs are on record.
  • Current evidence is not sufficient to establish the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbs for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a 3,000-year-old holistic system of medicine combining medicinal herbs, acupuncture, food therapy, massage, and therapeutic exercise for both treatment and prevention of diseases. It has been used for the treatment of pancreatic cancer especially for advanced cases.

Six clinical trials (including 4 randomised controlled trials and 2 non-randomised trials) compared Chinese herbal medicine alone or in combination with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in advanced pancreatic cancer patients. The results showed beneficial effect on survival and improvement of symptoms. Twenty case series or case reports have reported benefits of using Chinese herbs in increasing survival, improving symptoms, or relieving pain in patients with advanced and inoperable pancreatic cancer. However, there is a lack of methodological rigour in these studies, possible publication bias, and the potential benefit from the studies is not strong enough to support their use in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

No adverse events of Chinese herbal medicines have been reported in the included clinical trials but reports of adverse events such as liver damage and kidney damage, and interactions between herbs and drugs are on record.

Current evidence is not sufficient to establish the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbs for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Citation Jianping Liu, Xun Li, CAM-Cancer Consortium. Chinese herbal medicine for pancreatic cancer [online document]. http://www.cam-cancer.org/CAM-Summaries/Alternative-Medical-Systems/Chinese-herbal-medicine-for-pancreatic-cancer. July 30, 2009.

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