Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast Cancer

Abstract Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among women globally. While treatments such as chemotherapy and endocrine therapy have contributed to improving survival rates, there remains a critical need for more effective therapeutic options. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TC...

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Main Authors: Peng Song, Tongtong Liu, Yinfang Zhang, Tingting Shao, Rongkun Li, Chaoxia An, Lu-Qi Cao, Zhe-Sheng Chen, Wenjing Guo, Dongzhu Duan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:Molecular Cancer
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02416-5
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author Peng Song
Tongtong Liu
Yinfang Zhang
Tingting Shao
Rongkun Li
Chaoxia An
Lu-Qi Cao
Zhe-Sheng Chen
Wenjing Guo
Dongzhu Duan
author_facet Peng Song
Tongtong Liu
Yinfang Zhang
Tingting Shao
Rongkun Li
Chaoxia An
Lu-Qi Cao
Zhe-Sheng Chen
Wenjing Guo
Dongzhu Duan
author_sort Peng Song
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among women globally. While treatments such as chemotherapy and endocrine therapy have contributed to improving survival rates, there remains a critical need for more effective therapeutic options. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with a history spanning thousands of years, has long been utilized in the management of BC. This includes a wide range of practices, such as the use of traditional compound prescriptions, Chinese medicine monomers and extracts, acupuncture, moxibustion, and mind-body therapies. This review summarizes the brief history and experience of TCM in treating BC refer to numerous ancient Chinese medical texts, and explores the role of various TCM approaches in the treatment of BC, providing an in-depth analysis of their potential benefits. Additionally, it addresses the current limitations and challenges in researching TCM’s effectiveness for BC. Through this review, we aim to offer valuable insights into how TCM can complement conventional therapies and enhance outcomes for patients with BC.
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language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher BMC
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series Molecular Cancer
spelling doaj-art-0eff1d18fe774864a4afcd0b8bf2aa6a2025-08-20T03:04:35ZengBMCMolecular Cancer1476-45982025-08-0124115710.1186/s12943-025-02416-5Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast CancerPeng Song0Tongtong Liu1Yinfang Zhang2Tingting Shao3Rongkun Li4Chaoxia An5Lu-Qi Cao6Zhe-Sheng Chen7Wenjing Guo8Dongzhu Duan9Translational Center of Experiments and Achievements, Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Processing Technology and Quality Control of Gansu ProvinceTranslational Center of Experiments and Achievements, Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Processing Technology and Quality Control of Gansu ProvinceTranslational Center of Experiments and Achievements, Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Processing Technology and Quality Control of Gansu ProvinceTranslational Center of Experiments and Achievements, Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Processing Technology and Quality Control of Gansu ProvinceTranslational Center of Experiments and Achievements, Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Processing Technology and Quality Control of Gansu ProvinceTranslational Center of Experiments and Achievements, Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Engineering Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine Processing Technology and Quality Control of Gansu ProvinceCollege of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s UniversityCollege of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John’s UniversityGansu University of Chinese MedicineShaanxi Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Baoji University of Arts and SciencesAbstract Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among women globally. While treatments such as chemotherapy and endocrine therapy have contributed to improving survival rates, there remains a critical need for more effective therapeutic options. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with a history spanning thousands of years, has long been utilized in the management of BC. This includes a wide range of practices, such as the use of traditional compound prescriptions, Chinese medicine monomers and extracts, acupuncture, moxibustion, and mind-body therapies. This review summarizes the brief history and experience of TCM in treating BC refer to numerous ancient Chinese medical texts, and explores the role of various TCM approaches in the treatment of BC, providing an in-depth analysis of their potential benefits. Additionally, it addresses the current limitations and challenges in researching TCM’s effectiveness for BC. Through this review, we aim to offer valuable insights into how TCM can complement conventional therapies and enhance outcomes for patients with BC.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02416-5Traditional Chinese medicineBreast cancerCombination therapyClinical applicationMechanisms of bioactive ingredients
spellingShingle Peng Song
Tongtong Liu
Yinfang Zhang
Tingting Shao
Rongkun Li
Chaoxia An
Lu-Qi Cao
Zhe-Sheng Chen
Wenjing Guo
Dongzhu Duan
Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast Cancer
Molecular Cancer
Traditional Chinese medicine
Breast cancer
Combination therapy
Clinical application
Mechanisms of bioactive ingredients
title Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast Cancer
title_full Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast Cancer
title_fullStr Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast Cancer
title_full_unstemmed Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast Cancer
title_short Traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of breast Cancer
title_sort traditional chinese medicine in the treatment of breast cancer
topic Traditional Chinese medicine
Breast cancer
Combination therapy
Clinical application
Mechanisms of bioactive ingredients
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-025-02416-5
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