Cancer Therapy and the Use of Oriental Medicine
by Dr. Dennis Kinnane, OMD LAc,RPh 

For nearly 20 years now I have seen numerous individuals in my practice who are undergoing conventional treatment of various types of cancer and have sought out alternative help to counteract the damaging effects of the surgery, chemotherapy and radiation in order to recover more fully after their bout of illness. I am very happy to say that it has been a resounding success in every case where the patient has made a conscious and determined decision to include this type of treatment as an adjunct to their Western therapy and has followed thru with it. 

As a pharmacist for nearly 40 years and a Doctor of Oriental Medicine for nearly 20 years I can tell all who will listen that inclusion of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine before, during and after cancer treatment can assist the body’s immune system, cut the recovery time, maintain the energy and blood supply during treatment and ultimately assist the person to recover more fully from their disease and the debilitating “side effects” of their treatments. 

There is no doubt about Western medicine’s ability to kill off cancer; there is a definite question as to whether or not the patient will survive the treatment. Indeed, by their own admission, the pharmaceutical company’s statistics show that 65% of those who die from cancer actually succumb to the treatments administered rather than the cancer itself. Many people are becoming more and more aware of this and are beginning to shun conventional treatment due to these “quality of life” issues. 

In China they have been addressing this issue now for decades and discovered that by using the ancient methods outlined to preserve the “qi” or the “life force” within the body and build the blood in those who have been depleted by treatment the rate of survival and speed of recovery are greatly enhanced. I have seen evidence of this in my own practice. By the simple expedient of twice weekly acupuncture and Chinese herbal tonics these patients have experienced less pain, sleep better, have more energy, regain their appetites and stamina and generally are able to function and enjoy their daily lives rather than suffering the debilitating side effects which often come with effective treatments. 

I, personally would not think of going thru cancer treatment without using acupuncture and Chinese herbal tonics to maintain my immune system and energy levels. The results I have read about and have actually witnessed are too impressive to ignore.