Understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Cancer

Cancer has become the global healthy problem. According to global statistics, 12.7 million cancer cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths occurred in 2008 worldwide [1]. For most cancer patients, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the main conventional therapies. In recent years, accumulated investigations are focus on cancer biological therapies such as immunotherapy, gene therapy, and targeted therapy. These therapies are expensive and unbearable for some patients due to serious side effects. Cancer remains the leading cause of death in economically developed countries and the second leading cause of death in developing countries [2]. There is a great need to develop new approach for cancer prevention and treatment. Ethnomedicine, including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), may provide new contribution to cancer treatment.