The TCM Perspective on Cancer

Imagine that there is a mouse in an antique porcelain shop.  Three different owners might each have a different approach to ridding the shop of the mouse.

The first owner might choose to ignore the mouse. Since there is no food in the shop he knows that sooner or later the mouse will leave to find some.  Eventually, he hopes that he will find a starved mouse in the corner somewhere.

The second owner is scared of the mouse and chases it here and there, trying to catch or kill it. Over time, he knocks over too many of his precious porcelain and eventually goes bankrupt.

The third owner leaves a door partially open with some food nearby to try to entice the mouse to leave.    One day, the mouse is no where to be seen.

Imagine that cancer is like the mouse in the shop.   Most patients will not opt to be like the first owner and do nothing once a tumour has been found.  They know there is a risk that the tumour could become cancerous. 

The modern treatment options of chemotherapy and radiation are like the second owner.  We know they can be effective, but they do a great deal of damage in the process, and sometimes this secondary damage can be fatal or adversely affect quality of life even after the cancer is gone. 

So how do we go about becoming like the Third Owner described above?

We often talk about the suspected link between air, water, and soil pollution, radiation, and the apparent surge in cancer rates since the end of World War 2. We know that these effects are significant, but what about the effect of emotions?

TCM believes that emotional stress, such as anger or depression can block the flow of Qi causing blood flow to decrease.  This congelation of blood due to Qi stagnation can gradually form a tumour or lump that could be either benign or malignant.

In TCM, cancer is considered to be treatable if caught at the early stage.  Both acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbal medicine is used to move the Qi and blood to disperse the lump.   For patients whose cancer was caught at a later stage and where chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery was necessary, TCM can still be used to combat the side effects of these treatments and minimize their toxic effect.

Most importantly, TCM also recommends that the patient work to modify their lifestyle and thought patterns as well.  This should not be underestimated.  Most stress is related to wanting too much stuff, wanting our lives, bodies or careers to be perfect, and not being willing or able to face reality.   Also, excessive drinking, smoking, sex or even overthinking can damage the constitution of the body over time.  Keeping body and mind relaxed is the goal because no matter whether you have cancer or not, there is no doubt that prevention is more effective than treatment.