Marked effect of topical application of Chinese medicine combined with moxibustion in a case of refractory malignant ascites in diffuse liver cancer

This detailed case report demonstrates that topical traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy combined with moxibustion at the Shenque acupoint (CV8) was associated with a marked reduction in refractory malignant ascites in one patient with advanced diffuse hepatocellular carcinoma. The treatment was well-tolerated, with no observed adverse effects, and the patient reported subjective symptom relief and voluntarily continued therapy at home, suggesting good acceptability. This unique, non-invasive, acupoint-specific combinatorial strategy introduces a novel approach worthy of further investigation. While these preliminary findings are hypothesis-generating and supported by contextual observations from three additional patients, they require validation through larger, controlled studies to establish efficacy, safety, and underlying mechanisms.