Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers certain advantages in treating cervical cancer that Western medicine lacks, and today we will discuss them. Many cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy often experience extreme fatigue and various side effects; in short, they feel unwell.

However, after using Chinese herbal medicine, they often feel much more comfortable and less distressed. This is one of the benefits of TCM—it can alleviate many symptoms, such as those caused by the tumor itself, like abdominal pain, bloating, and bleeding, as well as side effects from treatments, such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, and fatigue. In addition to relieving symptoms, TCM also employs methods to strengthen the spleen, nourish the kidneys, replenish qi, and generate blood, which can enhance the body's immunity, improve overall physical fitness, alleviate fatigue, boost energy levels, and reduce susceptibility to illness. More importantly, TCM also has antitumor effects, particularly with herbs that soften hardness, dissipate masses, regulate qi, and resolve stasis. These can inhibit tumor growth, especially when combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy, potentially enhancing the efficacy of these treatments while reducing their toxicity—what we refer to as "reducing toxicity and increasing effectiveness."

So how does traditional Chinese medicine achieve such effects? We will discuss this from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine in the next installment.