Research Positioning
Supportive care, not a replacement for treatment
Research is conducted in the context of appropriate surgery, ablation, interventional therapy, radiotherapy, and systemic treatment.
People with liver cancer differ in disease status, liver function, treatment stage, and comorbidities. Studies should therefore define participants and treatment context clearly while examining symptoms, physical function, sleep, appetite, quality of life, adverse events, and possible medicine interactions.
Any conclusion must reflect the study design, sample size, comparator, and follow-up period. Early observations and individual cases should never be presented as established efficacy.
Research Areas
Principal areas of study
Research questions are designed to be clinically relevant, measurable, and meaningful to patients.
Patterns and symptoms
Relationships between TCM patterns and fatigue, appetite, sleep, pain, and other symptoms across treatment stages.
Support during treatment
Effects on symptom burden and treatment tolerance without delaying or replacing standard care.
Quality of life and function
Validated measures of daily activity, emotional wellbeing, sleep, social function, and overall quality of life.
Safety and interactions
Adverse events, laboratory safety measures, and potential interactions between herbal and anticancer medicines.
Real-world observation
Responsible collection of routine care and outcome data to describe practice and inform future confirmatory research.
Follow-up and rehabilitation
Persistent symptoms, nutrition, physical recovery, and practical frameworks for longer-term follow-up.
Methods & Outcomes
Methods, outcomes, and integrity
Prospective observation, controlled studies, real-world research, or systematic review may be selected according to the question.
Study framework
Clear participants, intervention, comparator, and outcomes; defined follow-up; complete recording of concurrent treatment; appropriate bias control and analysis.
Core outcomes
Symptom scales, patient-reported outcomes, ECOG or other functional measures, quality of life, safety, and treatment completion.
Ethics and quality
Appropriate ethics review and consent, privacy protection, data dictionaries, quality control, and transparent reporting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions
Does TCM research replace standard liver cancer treatment?
No. This programme studies supportive care and related outcomes alongside appropriate comprehensive treatment. Patients should follow treatment plans developed by qualified healthcare teams.
Which outcomes may be studied?
Outcomes may include treatment-related symptoms, quality of life, physical and functional status, nutrition, sleep, safety, and patient-reported outcomes defined in advance by each study protocol.
Does this website provide personalised prescriptions?
No. The website presents research information and cannot replace in-person medical assessment, diagnosis, or prescribing.
Medical notice
This page describes research interests and does not provide medical advice. People with liver cancer require assessment by qualified multidisciplinary teams. TCM use must consider liver function, previous treatment, concurrent medicines, and individual risk. Do not stop or alter standard treatment without professional advice.