Significance and necessity of developing quality of life questionnaire for cancer patients adapting to traditional Chinese medicine]

The clinical evaluation system for therapeutic effects of tumor, which focuses on survival period and tumor response rate, has been proved not very proper for evaluating the therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Quality of life (QOL) has been introduced into the effective evaluation system of TCM and integrative medicine because of its similarity in concept and extension with TCM at theory basis, syndrome differentiation-treatment, and evaluation of therapeutic effects. But there are no QOL questionnaires which can evaluate the therapeutic effects of TCM and integrative medicine precisely. This article discussed the necessity and significance of developing QOL questionnaire special for TCM.