How blending Western and traditional Chinese medicine can boost cancer treatment in Hong Kong
- Experts say model could be used to support and enhance both forms of medicine, as well as lead to greater understanding between practitioners on either side
When his doctor told him that the sharp pain in his back was stage four lung cancer, Rocky Yiu, 57, could not bring himself to ask how long he had left to live.
“It felt pointless asking because they practically gave me a death sentence,” he says.
Five years on, Yiu’s battle continues, aided by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which he believes has helped slow the spread of the disease.
The number of people diagnosed with cancer in Hong Kong is increasing every year, partly due to an ageing population. In 2016, according to the Hong Kong Cancer Registry under the Hospital Authority, 31,468 new cancer cases were diagnosed locally, while 14,209 Hongkongers lost their lives to the city’s No 1 killer.
Medical experts believe that, when used correctly, TCM might be more ideal than Western treatments for some, and it can play a complementary role in treating the condition for others. This has led to calls for more collaboration involving both forms of medicine.
Although Yiu had received 25 rounds of electrotherapy, nine months’ worth of targeted therapy and four cycles of chemotherapy, all failed to shrink the tumour in his lung.
