Factors influencing the utilization of Traditional Chinese Medicine in cancer treatment: a qualitative meta-synthesis of patient and healthcare professional perspectives

作者：Runbing Xu, Yanan Sun, Yifei Liu, Jiajun Pan, Yingying Han, Xinyu Zhang, Huzi Zhao, Mengfei Li, Yu Wu, Changhe Yu, Miao Jiang · 发表于：Frontiers in Medicine · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3389/fmed.2025.1501918 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies、Traditional Chinese Medicine Studies、Biofield Effects and Biophysics

Background: The complementary role of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in cancer management has been widely acknowledged. However, its implementation continues to face numerous challenges. Identifying and elucidating the factors that influence the integration of TCM into cancer therapy is essential. Developing effective implementation strategies is crucial to transitioning from theoretical evidence to practical application. Methods: A total of nine databases were systematically searched from their inception until 1 October 2023. The review includes qualitative and mixed-method studies examining the attitudes and perceptions of patients and healthcare providers toward the use of TCM in cancer treatment. The studies included were evaluated using a quality assessment tool. An appropriate model or framework was to identify potential facilitators and impediments affecting TCM implementation. Based on the identified barriers, potential behavior change interventions were subsequently developed. Results: A total of 39 studies are included in the review, comprising 31 qualitative and eight mixed-methods studies. The quality of these studies is acceptable. Key barriers to the implementation of TCM were identified as follows: insufficient knowledge and experience in TCM, neglect of details in doctor-patient communication, limited number of specialists, lack of funding, and absence of a multidisciplinary collaborative atmosphere. In response to these barriers, we recommend improving st...