Anyone shrink a breast tumor with TCM/acupuncture?

agness

Hi,

I had read that Traditional Chinese Medicine, including acupuncture and herbs was studied and they noted shrinkage. 

I myself had a large fibroid impeding my ability to conceive. I worked weekly with an acupuncturist/ Oriental Medicine practitioner in 2004 and my fibroid did shrink by a couple centimeters. Unfortunately getting pregnant caused the fibroid to grow rapidly and it doubled in size until it was discovered that I had a blighted ovum at seven weeks pregnancy (so about 5 weeks gestation)

Has anyone ever experienced tumor shrinkage with TCM/OM/ acupuncture?

Ann

agness

I should add that Im waiting for biopsy results, my lump has been there for a while and I'm keeping an open mind about treatment options. 

Aside from the fibroid shrinking I also witnessed experienced some amazing things with a few gifted practitioners of OM.

gildedcage

I was receiving acupuncture and taking Chinese herbs for a year before I was diagnosed. I was trying to get pregnant so I was using it for fertility purposes. I suspect the herbs might have contained estrogenic properties, which might have spurred on my ER+ positive cancer but I will never know for sure. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try acupuncture while you are waiting for results but be wary of the herbs during this time. All of my doctors were very clear on that. 

agness

I did see that there wasn't a lot of research yet into how the herbs work. My eastern practitioners are all western folks so I've always found them to be very conservative in using herbs.

Thanks 

CherylEmery

I don't know if there is an actual medical proof ever reported on breast cancer treatment involving TCM or Acupuncture, but I think these are helpful in treating ailments like arthritis, back pain etc many times. The mechanisms of acupuncture, though not solidly proven, have exhibited several commonly accepted effects to the body. Most notable is that acupuncture stimulates the central nervous system—the brain and spinal cord. Most people reported a tingling sensation, feeling relaxed or even energized. Again, this is largely based on the individual receiving the acupuncture treatment and how he or she perceives it. There are many acupuncture and arthritis clinic Fairfax, VA available that are known for thease techniques.

Momine

I think it is important to keep in mind that fibroids are not cancer.

wrenn

If tissue is lessening in size does it matter what kind of tissue it is? I am curious about this subject too and wonder whether chemo would shrink a cancerous tumour but not a fibroid and vice versa with the acupuncture.

exbrnxgrl

we'll never really know if chemo would shrink a fibroid since no one would ever administer chemo for a fibroid. If someone had cancer and was on chemo and also happened to have a fibroid, it would be interesting to see what happened but it would take a very long term study to show cause and effect. Even so, chemo is too toxic to be used for a benign but annoying condition such as fibroids (I had them for years!)

Caryn

wrenn

my question was more that if acupuncture can diminish one type of lump why not another type?  I used the reverse as an analogy...regarding chemo.

agness

I recall that one of the things I was taking to shrink/treat my fibroid was a strong formula that contained white peony and frankincense. My acupuncturist told me that the formula was designed to "break the blood". It worked and I had no other side effects. I'm guessing it thins the blood or something.

Subsequently to posting this thread I came across reference that Chinese medicine considered breast cancer to be fatal. My Chinese doctor now (native born Chinese, practicing TCM for over 40 years) says that from the TCM standpoint first there is stagnation which left over time turn into nodules (think about fibrocystic breast tissue) which eventually turn into tumors. He said that it isn't referred to as cancer but tumors. Interesting distinction. I don't see this as incompatible with Western understanding of some of the mechanism of development of some forms of breast cancer. Cancer cells thrive in anaerobic environments, lumpy breasts are presumably not getting as much oxygen into all of the tissue as healthy tissue does. I think it factored for me.

In the few weeks of taking Nei Xiao and a "breast cancer tonic" powder before I started chemo my tumor did not decrease in size, in fact it continued to grow (but it likely would have continued to grow irregardless). The rest of my breast tissue though did become softer and less full of "nodules" and that has to help.

Here's an article about stagnation from a TCM standpoint.
The Five Stagnations - The Mothers of All Diseases

Akevia

exbrnxgrl, 

  Chemo doesn't shrink fibroids. I have fibroids in my breast since I was 15. They grew over time and every year I got a breast exam they didn't worry about it because they knew I had fibroids. Last year I was diagnosis with IDC but turns out it's was IBC and my tumor grew twice the size within months. I was on taxol and the tumor was shrinking fast but it stop shrinking. My Doc and I talked about it and he said it might just be my fibroids left because chemo doesn't shrink fibroids. Chemo kills cancer cell and fibroids doesn't have cancer cells. 

exbrnxgrl

Akevia,

I didn't say, nor imply, that chemo shrinks fibroids. Please re-read my post and the previous posts. Another poster was wondering if chemo could shrink other tumors and that's what my post was in response to. My last point was that even if chemo was thought to shrink fibroids (which is not the case), I didn't  think anyone would use such a toxic treatment for a benign condition. I had uterine fibroids for years and am well aware of the fact that they are benign.

agness

I had progression to brain mets and my fibroid is still there and grew some. I am guessing the unopposed estrogen caused by chemopause was partly to blame, and then being on steroids around the time of my brain surgery also pushed things further.

A ovarian cyst also grew during that same time.

I'm trying to shrink them as a side project. It would be cool if I can influence them