Bridging the Gap

The following sections are included:

• Dedication
• Acknowledgments
• Contents
• Prologue
• Foreword

The first question we are asked by cancer patients is, “What can Chinese medicine do for cancer?” As traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctors treating patients in various stages of this disease, we are familiar with this query but learning how to respond came carefully with time. Those who seek complementary therapy, like Chinese medicine, during their cancer experience, whether it is early diagnosis or in the midst of cyclical chemotherapy, are well-informed as to how conventional medicine will treat their cancer. What they are less familiar with is the breadth and scope of TCM oncology. Therefore, the question above is a pivotal moment for trained Oriental medicine practitioners to introduce this system of medicine that optimizes the body’s ability to heal. Current statistics indicate that 1:2 men and 1:3 women will be diagnosed with cancer and over half will receive some form of complementary therapy. This book aims to introduce the patient, caregiver, medical doctor or complementary healthcare provider to the valuable, rich therapy of TCM oncology. In addition, we hope to better prepare the Chinese medicine practitioner for the complexity of cancer management because it is likely that at some point every Chinese medicine practitioner will be sitting across from a cancer patient…

Cancer is a complex condition encompassing hundreds of diseases within its presentation. Its characteristics are extensive, ranging from slow cellular division to fast, aggressive proliferation. The potency of this ever-evolving disease necessitates innovative and integrative therapies. The philosophy of IO was born from this awareness, a commitment to science and evidence-based medicine, while also recognizing therapeutic value in complementary modalities like traditional Chinese medicine. IO advocates conceptualize a framework of collaboration among medical paradigms to achieve a curable outcome that empowers the patient as well as the body’s ability to heal. The symbiotic energy of both the cause (cancer) and the effect (IO) harness the focus of Western and complementary medical systems due to its complex nature. This investigation is ideally done alongside patients and their loved ones to explore the capacity of healing through integrative approaches. As a result, IO practices are further empowered by the disease it seeks to manage and because of this, therapies outside the scope of conventional medicine are becoming implemented in the clinical environment…

Despite cancer’s persistent and dominant presence in medicine today, its roots extend back thousands of years. This long history exemplifies the disease’s complex and resilient nature. Cancer has not been discriminatory through its course of medical evolution; just as the early societies of the West endured cancer’s pervasive character for thousands of years, so did the East. While the title of oncologist did not emerge until the late 1900s, the mention of benign and malignant tumors appears across ancient medical texts. Early physicians across the world were discovering the intricacies of this pervasive disease, many with similar theories to its roots. Although now the biomedical dynamics of cancer in modern medicine are well understood, it is important to explore the historical evolution of this aggressive illness to understand the power behind it…

It is difficult to write about any modality of TCM, especially acupuncture, without including a discussion on diagnosis. For a treatment to be complete, the pillars that comprise the medicine depend on one another and become inseparable, like yin and yang itself. Therapeutic outcomes rely upon a formulated diagnosis, which in turn informs the methodology of each modality. The result is a formulated treatment plan that promotes the pillars to function synergistically in alignment with the diagnosis. In essence, acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal prescription, manual therapy, nutrition and exercise are integral components built upon the foundation of diagnostic assessment. For example, trained Chinese medicine physicians do not begin a treatment with acupuncture without determining the underlying root condition and branch presentation. The aspect of diagnosis is so crucial that it could easily necessitate a book of its own, and fortunately, there are classical texts and modern scholars who have contributed to the principles, patterns and theories that continue to evolve Chinese medicine oncology diagnosis. This groundwork serves as a clinical launching pad that enables an already competent starting point in TCM oncology treatments…

Similar to the other modalities that comprise Chinese medicine, there is not an exact, universally accepted date of when the technique of moxibustion originated, or when it was integrated into the theory of TCM. The knowledge and skillful application of this modality could render its very own book. It is an honored modality in countries like Japan, where doctors of moxibustion rely entirely on this heat therapy in their practice. We can only hope practitioners of the West regard it someday with as much reverence as our colleagues do abroad. For the purpose of this book, we begin with an overview of its historical background, and then define the characteristics and purpose of moxibustion as it relates to cancer management in clinical settings. The final section will present clinical experience relevant to common conditions observed with cancer patients and the benefit of moxibustion as a singular modality for their case.

At the heart of Chinese medicine is a vast pharmacopeia. There are combinations of thousands of herbs written into classic formulations, upon which modern practitioners depend. This modality is deeply-rooted in the practice, likely because it dates back to 1066–221 B.C. where relics show illustrations of plants, case studies and described various topics of herbal properties. The Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Husbandman’s Classic of Materia Medica) is the first text on Chinese herbal medicine. It is a compilation written by numerous scholars in 2nd century A.D. In it, 365 single herbs are examined, including dosage, temperatures, channels, indications and toxicity. Although this classical literature laid the foundation for herbal prescription, it was Li Shi-Zhen who wrote the first complete pharmacopeia, Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica) in 1178 A.D. Over the course of 27 years, he compiled lists of herbs, their individual properties, descriptions and illustrations of 1,892 single herbs and 11,000 formulas…

Manual therapies encompass a range of manipulations traditionally directed towards correcting physical issues, such as posture and alignment, alleviating stagnation or pain, and also to enhance feelings of well-being. Medical massage such as Tui Na, partner-assisted stretches, and range of motion (ROM) exercises are all used to open the joints, loosen the muscles and promote circulation both physically and energetically. When used in concert with TCM modalities, such as acupuncture and moxibustion, therapeutic change is often quickly achieved. Patients report a decrease in pain, and physical mobility along with feelings of well-being are enhanced…

Hippocrates, known as the father of modern medicine, famously said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” In TCM, food therapy, as we refer to diet and nutrition, has remained a prominent part of the medicine as reflected in its inclusion as one of the five pillars of traditional Chinese medicine. Some people even speculate that herbology, which is arguably the most historically prominent pillar in TCM, grew out of a natural evolution of using food to maintain health and treat disease. Although modern medicine still recognizes the role of diet in maintaining health, it has in large part removed it as a form of therapy, or healing, as referenced by Hippocrates…

Chinese medicine examines disease through an organized system of theory and principles. This allows the practitioner to interpret multifactorial presentations, such as cancer, within an established framework. What developed from thousands of years of empirical evidence by Chinese scholars was a method of analysis recognized as systematic correspondence. The theory contends that most or even all phenomena, which includes natural occurrences and abstract concepts, can be incorporated into a correlated system that came to dominate Chinese medico-theoretical literature. It identifies a mutual dependence and conversely mutual influence with occurrences (phenomena), both in the body and the natural world, through an inherent parallel with particular avenues of conformity. This applies both in an individual’s body, with respect to their state of health or disease, including the physical and mental-emotional, but also with one’s relationship to the outside world and environment. In TCM, this method of understanding can be applied both diagnostically and therapeutically…

We met Lisa in our office two months following her diagnosis of stage II colorectal cancer. She recently moved to the area with her husband, who relocated for his job in sales. They were settling into the new town and routine when Lisa’s digestive symptoms started becoming quite noticeable and bothersome. She complained to her husband about abdominal cramping and bloating. Then when dark blood in the stool showed up, this signaled an immediate call to her doctor. Just 36 years old, she shared with us at her first appointment, “I never thought I would have cancer. I’m too young!”…

Each case study contains all the modalities used to support and enhance standard allopathic care to augment therapeutic outcomes and quality of life for the patient. We are going beyond relating a simple protocol from a given modality with the goal of improving treatment strategy for the practitioner and to increase understanding of the possibilities of what TCM encompasses for those unfamiliar.

The meaning of bridge the gap refers to the action of connecting two parts toward a complete whole. It requires participation among the divided entities to contribute in the unification of previously separate and different concepts. The hope is that once built, the result is cohesive stability. The concept of IO is in the midst of this assembly, piecing together many disciplines to create a relied upon practice providers and patients trust. The guidelines currently framing the system of collaborative cancer care are clear: conventional medicine is primary, complementary medicine is adjunctive and dependent on scientific criteria that is evidence-informed or measurable. This is the fundamental basis for integrative medical paradigms…

The following section is included:

• Index