China’s integrative medicine approach key to increased cancer survival

Integrative medicine — a holistic approach that considers the patient’s overall clinical condition and delivers personalized treatment — has played a significant role in raising cancer survival rates in China, according to the China Anti-Cancer Association.

Data released by the association shows that the five-year survival rate of cancer patients in China rose from 33.3 percent around a decade ago to 43.7 percent at the end of 2023.

The marked improvement can be translated into saving an additional 500,000 lives per year, said the association, citing a study authored by top oncology experts and published in September of last year.

Official data shows that the nation recorded about 4.83 million new malignant tumor cases in 2022. Among them, nearly 1.59 million cases were diagnosed with digestive system tumors, such as colorectal, liver, gastric, esophageal and pancreatic cancers.

The association said that cancer treatment in China now integrates western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, nutritional support and psychological consultations. Artificial intelligence tools have also been deployed to formulate personalized treatment plans for patients.

The association made the statement during the 2025 Chinese Congress on Holistic Integrative Oncology covering North China, which was held in Beijing from Friday to Sunday.

The association said that in 2023, a series of guidelines aimed at providing standardized recommendations for managing cancer, called the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association Guidelines for Holistic Integrative Management of Cancer, were launched.

The guidelines have been translated into 16 languages and are now used as reference material by medical institutions in over 150 countries, contributing China’s expertise to the global fight against cancer, said the association.

Fan Daiming, president of the association and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said during an interview with China Central Television that China’s integrative medicine approach considers all factors of a patient’s overall condition and develop a tailored treatment plan.

“The approach has effectively improved five-year survival rates and reduced mortality rates in China,” he said.