TCM as Adjunctive Support During Chemotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Case Report

Kit Li

Case sharing

Mr M        49 y/o

A male patient was diagnosed with Stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the summer of 2019. His first noticeable symptom was the appearance of a lump on the right side of his neck, which was subsequently identified as an enlarged cervical lymph node associated with the malignancy. The primary tumour was located in the nasopharynx, behind the nasal cavity at the base of the skull.

Prior to his diagnosis, the patient maintained a healthy and active lifestyle. He exercised regularly, participating in outdoor bootcamp classes and practising Pilates. He had never smoked and consumed alcohol only occasionally and in small amounts.

Over the past year, the patient underwent approximately 19 cycles of chemotherapy. Although the treatment was necessary, it resulted in significant adverse effects that severely compromised his overall health and quality of life. One of the most debilitating complications was right-sided Bell's palsy, leaving him unable to fully close his right eye or the right side of his mouth, particularly during sleep. He also experienced substantial unintentional weight loss, marked physical weakness and fatigue, and bilateral hearing impairment. In addition, following one of his surgical procedures, he developed a perforation of the right tympanic membrane (eardrum), which further contributed to his hearing difficulties.

Seeking complementary therapy to alleviate the significant adverse effects of his cancer treatment, the patient was referred to Dr Tang by a friend. He first attended the clinic in November 2025 with the primary aim of improving his treatment-related symptoms and overall quality of life. Since then, he has received weekly acupuncture treatments under Dr Tang's care, together with individually prescribed Chinese herbal decoctions tailored to his clinical presentation. This integrative treatment approach was intended to complement his conventional oncology care by alleviating treatment-related side effects, supporting his recovery, and enhancing his overall physical well-being.

Encouragingly, after receiving regular TCM treatment for several months, the patient's blood test results demonstrated improvements in his haematological parameters. Although his blood cell counts remained below the normal reference ranges, they showed a gradual upward trend while he was receiving the prescribed Chinese herbal decoctions, suggesting a potential role in supporting haematological recovery during his chemotherapy treatment.

His blood test on 6 May showed:

• Haemoglobin: 111 g/L (Reference range: 130–170 g/L)
• Red Blood Cell Count: 3.6 × 10¹²/L (Reference range: 4.5–5.5 × 10¹²/L)
• White Blood Cell Count: 5.9 × 10⁹/L (Reference range: 4.0–10.0 × 10⁹/L)

Following a subsequent cycle of chemotherapy, his blood test on 20 May showed the expected treatment-related decline:

• Haemoglobin: 99 g/L
• Red Blood Cell Count: 3.3 × 10¹²/L
• White Blood Cell Count: 2.7 × 10⁹/L

With the continuation of weekly acupuncture and individually prescribed Chinese herbal decoctions alongside his conventional oncology treatment, his subsequent blood tests in June showed recovery of these haematological parameters toward acceptable levels.

His neurological recovery was equally encouraging. After an intensive course of acupuncture, his Bell's palsy improved dramatically. He regained normal facial movement, and his right eye was once again able to close naturally. Although there remained a very slight gap during forceful eye closure, his facial function had largely returned to normal.

Every cancer patient's journey is unique, and integrative medicine should never be regarded as a substitute for conventional oncology treatment. However, when used alongside standard medical care, acupuncture (1) and Chinese herbal medicine (2, 3)  may serve as valuable supportive therapies by helping to alleviate treatment-related adverse effects, improve quality of life, and facilitate recovery during the demanding course of cancer treatment.

This case represents a single clinical observation and therefore cannot establish a causal relationship between the interventions and the clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, the patient's improvements provide an encouraging example of the potential benefits of an integrative approach in supporting individuals experiencing chemotherapy-related adverse effects, including haematological suppression and neurological complications.

Importantly, these clinical observations are broadly consistent with the growing body of evidence supporting integrative oncology. Systematic reviews and international clinical guidelines suggest that acupuncture may help alleviate chemotherapy-related symptoms, including fatigue, nausea, peripheral neuropathy, xerostomia, and reduced quality of life. Emerging evidence also indicates that acupuncture, together with appropriately prescribed Chinese herbal medicine, may support recovery from chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression by promoting haematological recovery and improving tolerance to ongoing treatment. Furthermore, experimental studies have demonstrated that acupuncture can modulate inflammatory pathways, regulate autonomic nervous system activity, and enhance neuroplasticity, providing plausible biological mechanisms for the neurological recovery observed in this patient.

Although larger, well-designed randomised controlled trials are still needed to establish efficacy and clarify the underlying mechanisms, this case adds to the growing clinical experience suggesting that evidence-informed integrative medicine may offer meaningful supportive care for patients undergoing cancer treatment.

References:

1) Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture Therapy for Leukopenia after Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, European Journal of Integrative Medicine (2024): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187638202400043X

2) Chinese Medicine Combined with Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Improving Myelosuppression in Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38212495/

3) Validated Herbal Extracts for Alleviating Chemotherapy-induced Myelosuppression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711325002995