Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs Effectively Improve Cancer Chemotherapy-Induced Symptoms

On March 26 this year, Ms. ZM, a 60-year-old patient, came to my clinic. She reported that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2022 and underwent surgery and chemotherapy at that time. In 2024, she experienced a recurrence and received chemotherapy again. In October 2025, a second recurrence occurred, and she had no choice but to undergo another round of chemotherapy.

After completing six cycles of chemotherapy this past March, her CA125 level returned to normal at 16. However, CT scan results showed residual tumors, so her oncologist recommended continuing chemotherapy. But the side effects of the medications had already pushed her physical tolerance to its limit. She was suffering from insomnia, night sweating, hiccups, chest tightness and shortness of breath, sore and cold shoulders and arms, and debilitating fatigue. After discussing with her doctor, she decided to pause chemotherapy. It was at this point that her husband found me online.

After completing the four diagnostic examinations (inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry, and palpation), I performed acupuncture and prescribed ten days of herbal medicine. The prescription focused on supplementing qi and blood, nourishing yin and the liver, and regulating qi to stop sweating — to improve sleep and eliminate night sweats and hiccups. I instructed her to start taking the herbs as soon as she got home.

On March 30, when the patient returned for her second acupuncture session, she reported that she had slept very well on the very night after her first treatment, and both her night sweats and hiccups had disappeared.

On April 10, before the patient left for China to rest and recover, she asked me to prescribe some herbal medicine for her to take along. This time, I formulated a prescription primarily focused on supplementing qi and blood and nourishing the liver and spleen.

On June 12, the patient returned to the clinic. She said she had felt very well while in China. But shortly after returning to the United States, she suddenly developed continuous hiccups that had persisted for half a month. She felt a blockage in her chest and severe shortness of breath. I identified tender points on her body and performed acupuncture. I told her to take herbs only if she didn't see improvement, and she scheduled her next follow-up appointment before leaving.

On June 15, the patient came back and said that before the previous acupuncture session, her hiccups had been non-stop from morning to night. After acupuncture, the hiccups decreased significantly — and the day before, she only had two episodes. Her chest tightness and shortness of breath had also resolved.

On June 16, the patient texted me to say she had scheduled a PET/CT scan for July 15. Her oncologist would then evaluate her blood test results and the PET scan findings to determine whether to proceed with further treatment. She ended her message with: "Thank you for helping me during this time — I feel so much lighter. I truly want to thank Dr. Liu!"

I advised her that regular acupuncture and herbal treatments would be beneficial for long-term maintenance and may help reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

To let more people know about the treatment of Chinese medicine, she wrote a Google Review with 5 stars yesterday.

Another cancer patient also wrote a Google Review about 2 months ago:

"I was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. I was recommended to Dr. Liu! I am very grateful for her care. She managed my post-op pain and recovery well, so I could start chemotherapy in one month. Her herbs really did amazing work, as I was breathless and fatigued after chemo. I have been compliant with her herbs and treatments, and I feel so much improvement and am very functional with my daily activities! My chemo has been very tolerable because I have a good appetite — Dr. Liu managed my nausea and 'qi' — and I can walk 3–4 miles daily. My chemotherapy-induced neuropathy was very well managed by her! Thank you, Dr. Liu, for doing amazing work! I will continue my cancer journey with you!"