2.  How does the TCM approach differ?  From the reading, the TCM understanding differs greatly in its more macroscopic view of cancer and its theories of development, diagnosis and treatment.   The TCM approach is more holistic, looking  entire system, including the patient’s lifestyle patterns, diet, environmental influences, emotional strains and psycho-spiritual issues.  The conceptual understanding is very different as well.  All of the factors above, effect the blood and qi flow, and over time, stagnation can lead to a local accumulation of pathological waste products that induces abnormal growth of tissues inside the body.  The pathological characteristics are also understood differently in TCM:  in addition to blood and qi stagnation, exhaustion of healthy energy, phlegm and dampness retention and invasion of toxic heat. 

The approaches to cancer treatment is vastly different in Chinese Medicine, primarily because it takes the multi-layered understanding of the situation into account.   It employs a more holistic approach to supplement the general health which includes organ functioning, improving one’s resistance and immune function, psycho-emotional state and dealing with pain.  The treatments also feel very supporting and non invasive…