Research Progress of Traditional Chinese Medicine External Therapy in Cancer-Related Fatigue

Abstract

Cancer-Related Fatigue (CRF) is a common accompanying symptom in patients with malignant tumors. It has a high incidence and long duration, seriously affecting patients’ quality of life and treatment compliance. At present, the pathogenesis of CRF has not been fully clarified in Western medicine, and treatment methods are mostly symptomatic support, with limited efficacy and certain side effects. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) external therapy has gained increasing research attention in the application of CRF in recent years due to its advantages of simple operation, safety, non-invasiveness, and minimal toxic and side effects. Its efficacy and safety have been verified by a large number of clinical practices. This paper systematically summarizes the current research status of CRF in both Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine, explores the clinical treatment and application effects of TCM external therapy, so as to provide reference for the clinical treatment of CRF.