Systemic therapies, including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, are cornerstones of modern oncology and have significantly extended patient survival. However, these treatments are frequently associated with adverse reactions that can impair patients' quality of life. Among the most common and debilitating are chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and hand-foot syndrome (HFS).
Currently, no universally effective standard of care exists for either CIPN or HFS. Interventions such as duloxetine for CIPN or empirical vitamin use for HFS offer limited efficacy and are not robustly supported by evidence. This unmet clinical need has driven interest in complementary approaches. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been rigorously evaluated in high-quality clinical trials for various conditions, showing benefits in cardiovascular disease and oncology. However, while some studies have explored systemic TCM for preventing CIPN, research on topical TCM therapies for established CIPN and HFS is scarce. We therefore conducted this retrospective study to investigate the efficacy and safety of a topical TCM hand-foot soak for these conditions, using patient-reported outcome measures to assess its impact on symptoms and quality of life.