I have seen Dr. Tian regularly for acupuncture and herbs for 17 years. I consider him an…read moreextraordinary physician, and I have benefited from his treatments of not only a life-threatening illness that I have had, but also a wide range of other health problems.
I am a 70-year old male, American-born and raised, of European descent. I knew little of Chinese medicine before seeing Dr. Tian. About a year before I began to see him, I was diagnosed with terminal kidney cancer. By the time I began to see him, I had failed a year-long trial of chemotherapy when a cancerous lesion recurred in my lungs. I had surgery to remove the lesion, but at that time, no other conventional treatments were available. I wanted to try everything that I reasonably could, including Chinese medicine. I scheduled appointments with Dr. Tian and one other prominent Chinese physician. I decided to continue with Dr. Tian for several reasons: The person who referred me to Dr. Tian stated that Dr. Tian had specialized knowledge about cancer and was known as an expert in herbology, Dr. Tian's appointments were one hour - twice as long as the other physician's - and during the appointments, Dr. Tian took the time to explain his approach to me and answer questions.
I later discovered that besides his education in Chinese medicine, Dr. Tian has a PhD in Western oncology, and that he has developed a liver cancer treatment - a mix of herbs -- that is now used in China. His training gives him a great depth of knowledge about cancer. In addition, over many years he has treated many hundreds of oncology patients and has had some remarkable successes.
I have benefited from his expertise in oncology. He uses innovative acupuncture techniques and prescribes an herb formula that he designs and mixes himself, and that he varies depending on my condition. He also prescribes pre-packaged herbs as indicated. (I should note that one of the things that I have learned from him is that in China, for many illnesses, patients generally consider herbs to be at least as important as, if not more important than, acupuncture for their treatment.)
About a year after I began to see Dr. Tian, a second small cancerous lesion recurred in my lungs, and about a year after that, a third one recurred. Both were removed by surgery. No cancer has recurred since then, and I have now been cancer-free for fifteen years. Since I began to see Dr. Tian, I have maintained what most would consider a healthful lifestyle, including following a plant-based diet, but the only medical treatment I have received for my cancer has been from Dr. Tian. My conventional oncologists have indicated that my survival of this type of cancer for this period of time is extremely unusual.
Besides benefiting from his expertise in oncology, I have also benefited from his ability to treat a wide range of other health issues. Dr. Tian strikes me as the Chinese version of what we Americans call an old-fashioned country doctor. He seems to have a treatment for any of the illnesses that I have presented to him -- ranging from seasonal allergies and a sprained ankle to mild neuropathy and acid reflux -- his approach is holistic - he looks at overall health, not just the specific symptoms -- and his treatments are natural and non-invasive
Beyond Dr. Tian's treatment of specific ailments, I believe I have also benefited from his advice on nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction.
In addition, I have always appreciated Dr. Tian's willingness to explain his treatments to me. When I ask him, he also gives general health advice based on Chinese medicine, and I personally find a great deal of both wisdom and common sense in it. For example, he points out that people (along with mammals generally) naturally slow down in the winter season, in preparation for the high-energy spring and summer seasons, so that during winter, it is particularly important to get a good night's sleep. He is extremely intelligent and articulate - he converses easily about politics and the issues of the day - and I think that if he had decided to be a teacher, he would have been a very good one.
At present, my overall health is excellent. I personally believe his treatments have improved my overall health, and that has strengthened my natural defense mechanisms against cancer.
It is clear to me that Dr. Tian is a rare physician. At my suggestion, several of my colleagues and friends, and several family members, have also seen him. We are quite fortunate that he is in our community.
Howard H
July 2026