Traditional Chinese medicine reduces side effect of cancer treatment  

Adelaide: Researchers from the University of Adelaide claim that a traditional Chinese medicinal substance can be incorporated into the diet of patients receiving cancer treatment so as to reduce its side effects

For tens of thousands of Australians who receive radiotherapy as part of their cancer treatment, mucositis is a serious side effect that may cause inflammation, ulcers, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and bloating. 

Currently there is no effective treatment for mucositis, but researchers from the University of Adelaide have found that a type of traditional Chinese medicine reduces the severity of radiation-induced gastrointestinal mucositis (GIM) in rats. 

This study – documented in peer-review journal Frontiers in Oncology – outlines the potential benefits of this treatment for people who have GIM as a side effect of receiving radiotherapy to treat cancers of the stomach, abdomen and pelvis.