Keywords
Nursing; Chemotherapy; Radiation; Neoplasms; Senior; Procedures
Abstract
Background: Patients with cancer often experience symptoms related to disease, complications, and treatment. One potential method of alleviating these symptoms is traditional Chinese herbal medications (TCHM). This rapid review explores the role of traditional Chinese herbal medications in treating cancer-related symptoms in older adults.
Purpose: The purpose of this rapid review is to gain and provide a better understanding of the effects of TCHM on cancer-symptom management in the older adult population. This review explores the association between TCHM and effects on cancer symptoms in older adults, including interactions, toxicity, and signs/symptoms of TCHM use that may be useful information for healthcare professionals.
Methods: Three electronic databases (APA PsychInfo, MEDLINE, and CINAHL Ultimate) were searched for this review. Results were limited to English-language, scholarly journal articles among other criteria. Upon initial search, 224 articles were identified, 24 articles were removed as duplicates, 77 articles were title reviewed, 47 articles were abstract reviewed, and 25 articles were included for further review. Afterwards, 21 remained as candidates for quality appraisal. After appraisal, a total sample of 15 articles were included for synthesis, comprising 11 articles of high-quality and 4 of moderate-quality.
Findings: There are clear themes in the articles appraised. Themes identified include: beneficial effects on cancer-related symptoms, few adverse effects as a result of TCHM therapy, improvement in Quality of Life (QOL), possible reduction in cancer-related toxicities, discussion of TCHM theory within the studies, and a need for further research. Most articles recommend multi-center randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with larger sample sizes. Additionally, there is a lack of older-adult focused studies as well as a scarcity of RCTs discussing age as a factor. Finally, there is a wide variety of TCHMs among articles appraised, with few articles pertaining to the same medication.
Conclusion: Overall, there is a lack of RCTs focused on older adults regarding TCHM for treatment of cancer-related symptoms and a definite lack of Western-origin studies on TCHM. TCHM is an individualized and holistically-based treatment, with few adverse effects. This makes TCHM an ideal primary and adjunct option for healthcare professionals treating the symptoms of cancer patients. However, there is concern for inconsistency in sourcing TCHM herbs and potential for heavy metal contamination. More focus should be placed on researching the efficacy and utilization of traditional Chinese herbal medicine for cancer symptom management in older adults.
Thesis Completion Year
2026
Thesis Completion Semester
Summer
Thesis Chair
Crook, Jennifer
College
College of Nursing
Department
Nursing
Thesis Discipline
Nursing
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus Access
None
Campus Location
Health Sciences Campus
STARS Citation
Karshner, Isabelle C., "Investigating the Role of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine for Cancer Symptom Management in Older Adults: A Rapid Review" (2026). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 667.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/667
Included in
Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons, Biological Factors Commons, Chemical Actions and Uses Commons, Complex Mixtures Commons, Dermatology Commons, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Digestive, Oral, and Skin Physiology Commons, Digestive System Diseases Commons, Geriatric Nursing Commons, Geriatrics Commons, Immune System Diseases Commons, Internal Medicine Commons, Medical Pharmacology Commons, Medical Toxicology Commons, Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Commons, Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutics Commons, Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy Commons, Neoplasms Commons, Nervous System Diseases Commons, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Commons, Oncology Commons, Organic Chemicals Commons, Other Chemicals and Drugs Commons, Palliative Care Commons, Palliative Nursing Commons, Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Commons, Pharmaceutics and Drug Design Commons, Respiratory Tract Diseases Commons, Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases Commons, Surgery Commons, Wounds and Injuries Commons
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