Healthy in Houston: Chinese medicine for cancer therapy
By: Kristi Nakamura

Jeanne Brelsford has been through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation to battle her cancer.

She says the treatments are working, but they've left her in a lot of pain.

"I had to do something different than taking pain medication, because it was having such an affect on my life. You know, I was unable to drive at that point because of just my mind being in a fog," said Brelsford.

Much to Brelsford's surprise, her doctor told her to try acupuncture.

"I asked him that day, 'What is this? A surgeon is recommending acupuncture?'" said Brelsford.

Doctors at M.D. Anderson say there is now enough scientific evidence to prove that the benefits patients derive from traditional Chinese therapies like acupuncture, meditation and even some herbal supplements are more than just the placebo effect.

They say they hope their research will help to make these therapies more prevalent in cancer patients' regimens.

"Radiation, the surgery, the hormonal therapy -- all these treatments are necessary, but we also need to do everything else that we can in terms of proper nutrition helping to keep the patient's quality of life as good as possible," said Dr. Lorenzo Cohen, Director of the Integrated Medicine Program.

Doctors at M.D. Anderson are collaborating with doctors in China to investigate the health benefits of traditional Chinese medicine for cancer patients.

Dr. Cohen says eastern therapies like meditation, yoga and acupuncture are proving to be beneficial in managing side effects from Western cancer treatments.

He says many cancer patients are beginning to look into these alternative therapies on their own.

"They're the ones, in some sense, who are driving the necessity to provide holistic care for our patients -- not just treating their disease, but treating the whole patient," said Dr. Cohen.

Brelsford says the acupuncture has helped her so much that her doctor has been able to reduce the amount of painkillers she takes.

And even though these traditional Chinese therapies are not covered by insurance, Brelsford says the cost of her acupuncture is worth no longer feeling like she's in a fog.

Experts say patients need to check with their doctors before beginning any new therapies.

They say patients need to make sure the therapy they are considering complements -- rather than interferes with -- treatments prescribed by their doctors.