Have you heard the news:
XX cancer patient refused western medicine and only used traditional Chinese medicine, and finally died after delaying the treatment.
News such as this have made TCM treatment of cancer a controversial topic. Some people directly put the blame on TCM, while others support TCM and put the blame on “pseudo TCM”.
And in fact, does TCM exist in the field of tumor treatment? What role will Chinese medicine play during this period?
Traditional Chinese Medicine has been used to treat tumors since ancient times
Tumors have been documented as early as in the oracle bone inscriptions of the Yin and Shang Dynasties.
The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period laid the foundation for the formation and development of TCM oncology. And “Shen Nong’s Materia Medica” listed anti-cancer Chinese medicines such as “carbuncle” and “gall tumor”, which are still in use today.
In these literatures, TCM summarizes two key concepts of cancer treatment:
Holistic concept + syndrome differentiation and treatment
TCM believes that , The formation and development of cancer are often related to the rise and fall of the whole body, qi and blood, yin and yang, not just a certain part, so the treatment is mainly to harmonize the viscera, strengthen the righteousness and eliminate evil.
Chinese medicine cannot cure cancer
Chinese Academy of Engineering Academician and Chinese medicine pharmacology expert Mr. Li Lianda believes that Chinese medicine cannot cure cancer.
Currently, TCM treats tumors mainly in four aspects:
1. Postoperative recovery
cancer patients undergoing surgery After that, the vitality will be greatly damaged and the immunity will be greatly reduced. Through traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation and treatment, the patient’s recovery can be accelerated.
2.Reduce tumor recurrence and metastasis
Long-term treatment by western medicine surgery and radiotherapy and chemotherapy often causes many iatrogenic damage to patients. Immune dysfunction occurs. At this time, the residual and latent tumor cells in the patient’s body are prone to resurgence, causing recombination and metastasis.
However, in the follow-up adjuvant treatment, traditional Chinese medicine can play the role of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, softening and dispelling stasis, fighting poison with poison, etc., and inhibiting the recurrence and metastasis of cancer.
3. Control the toxic and side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the first-line regimens for the treatment of tumors, but their toxic and side effects are even worse than those of the tumor itself. It’s terrible, many cancer patients give up their lives because they can’t stand the pain of treatment.
Traditional Chinese medicine takes the righteousness into consideration to escort radiotherapy and chemotherapy, reduce toxicity and increase efficiency, and strive for treatment time for patients, so as to prolong life and control the development of cancer.
4. Palliative care
For patients with advanced cancer, doctors may consider palliative care to prolong life and reduce pain.
TCM has the characteristics of low toxicity, high efficiency, and good compliance. In palliative care, TCM has the advantages of pain relief, symptom control, and nutritional support. Live with dignity.
TCM treatment pay attention to 2 points
1. Standardize treatment, don’t just use traditional Chinese medicine
In the treatment of cancer, multidisciplinary comprehensive treatment is advocated. Multidisciplinary treatments such as surgery and radiotherapy are required.
2. It is a three-part drug, don’t abuse traditional Chinese medicine
Some patients see that others have taken traditional Chinese medicine, so they ask someone for a prescription, and they themselves Eat like this too.
But don’t forget that the biggest advantage of traditional Chinese medicine is the treatment based on syndrome differentiation. The same method that others can do, doesn’t mean that you can too.
In addition, anti-cancer Chinese patent medicine is not a dietary therapy and health preservation. There are many kinds of medicines, different compositions, and strong medicinal properties. It needs to be prescribed by a traditional Chinese medicine doctor who is familiar with the characteristics, methods, dosages, and toxic and side effects of medicines.
“It is a medicine with three parts poison”.
[Reference]
1. Academician Li: It’s not good to use traditional Chinese medicine to treat cancer, we can’t brag, it’s only for this purpose | Academician Time. Health TV. 2021-03-30
2. About Chinese medicine anti-cancer, this 30-year-old Chinese medicine anti-cancer expert is very reliable! .Lung Cancer Rehabilitation Circle. 2018-07-25
3. Prevention and treatment of tumors, how to make good use of traditional Chinese medicine. Life Times. 2020-04-18