On February 2, 2024, the National Cancer Center released the 2022 China Malignant Tumor Disease Burden Report, which showed that the number of new cancer cases in China reached 4.82 million in 2022, and the number of deaths reached 2.57 million1. Although a series of advances have been made in the treatment of tumors in recent years, a single treatment method still faces the problem of limited therapeutic effect in clinical practice.
The International Union Against Cancer (UICC) has designated April 17 as "World Cancer Day" every year, which aims to enhance the public's awareness and understanding of cancer, enhance the concept of scientific anti-cancer, so as to reduce the incidence and mortality of tumors, and improve the survival rate and quality of life of patients. As a valuable asset of traditional medicine in mainland China, traditional Chinese medicine plays a unique advantage in the field of cancer prevention and treatment, providing patients with more treatment options and hope. At the 20th International Congress of Neuropathology, Professor Xu Ruihua from the Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University and Professor Cheng Haibo from Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine conducted in-depth discussions on hot topics such as the prevention and treatment of tumors with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine and the application of traditional Chinese medicine in cancer treatment. The following is a summary of the essence for the benefit of readers.
Traditional Chinese medicine plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of tumors
Professor Xu Ruihua said that the aging phenomenon of mainland society is becoming more and more obvious, and there are more and more cancer patients, which needs to be viewed objectively and scientifically. Primary prevention of cancer is the key to reducing the incidence of cancer, including maintaining a healthy lifestyle and standardizing cancer screening. Traditional Chinese medicine is widely used in cancer prevention and treatment, from preventing tumorigenesis, alleviating the toxic side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, prolonging survival, improving the symptoms of advanced patients to improving the quality of life, throughout the "whole process" of cancer prevention and treatment. Professor Xu Ruihua pointed out that there are various methods for the treatment of tumors in clinical practice, including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and biological therapy. The theory of traditional Chinese medicine has broadened the ideas and methods of cancer prevention and treatment, and traditional Chinese medicine has played an irreplaceable role in cancer treatment and rehabilitation, which is worthy of attention and exploration.
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According to Professor Cheng Haibo, TCM believes that tumors are a type of disease that causes abnormal changes in the function, structure and morphology of the viscera, meridians, qi and blood, and fluid due to the destruction of the coordination and balance between the human body and the external environment, and the formation of new organisms. There are two main internal and external causes of its occurrence and development, the external factors are six lewdness, chemistry, physical and other environmental factors, and the internal factors mainly include seven emotions such as excessive emotions, eating disorders, excessive work and rest, and insufficient endowment. A variety of internal and external factors act on the body to cause dysfunction of the viscera, disorders of qi, blood and fluid metabolism, resulting in pathological changes such as qi deficiency and blood stasis, phlegm coagulation and poison accumulation, and evil poison accumulation, among which phlegm, stasis and poison fight each other, block the meridians and qi and blood, congest the viscera, and gather into a mass. Generally speaking, "phlegm, stasis, toxicity and deficiency" are the core pathogenesis of malignant tumors recognized by the TCM community, which runs through all stages of tumor occurrence and development.
Professor Cheng Haibo further pointed out that the TCM treatment of tumors is based on the basic principle of "strengthening the right and dispelling the evil", and at the same time, comprehensive treatment, syndrome differentiation and treatment, combination of disease and syndrome, and symptom differentiation are carried out as needed. Clinically, specific treatment methods are often selected according to the different stages of the patient's illness and the changes in the symptoms, and the priority of dispelling evil and strengthening the right is decided. The commonly used treatment methods for dispelling evil spirits include anti-cancer and detoxification, regulating qi and relieving depression, invigorating blood and removing stasis, dissolving phlegm and softening firmness, clearing heat and dampness, etc., and strengthening the spleen and qi, nourishing yin and nourishing blood, nourishing liver and kidneys, etc. The above methods should be organically combined to treat the disease comprehensively, and at the same time grasp the principle of "treating the disease before it happens", so as to block the transmission pathway of the disease and prevent the progression of the disease.
Three factors, the combination of Chinese and Western, traditional Chinese medicine shows multiple values in the whole process of tumor management
The "Healthy China 2030 Plan" proposes to give full play to the unique advantages of traditional Chinese medicine and improve the clinical efficacy of major and difficult diseases, critical and severe diseases. Previous clinical studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine has outstanding characteristics such as high safety and low drug side effects in the treatment of tumors. Professor Cheng Haibo introduced that under the guidance of the overall concept, syndrome differentiation and treatment, and prevention of disease, the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine are mainly reflected in the following aspects: first, third, individualized treatment according to conditions; second, it has anti-tumor effect, which can reduce toxicity and increase efficiency and improve the quality of life with Western medicine treatment; third, traditional Chinese medicine has multi-active ingredients and multi-target effects, with long-lasting efficacy and is not easy to resist drugs; fourth, it is non-toxic or low-toxic; fifth, it is relatively low in price and can save medical resources.
Professor Cheng Haibo emphasized that traditional Chinese medicine plays an important role in the whole process of tumor occurrence and development, covering the whole process of tumor prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. It is embodied in the following aspects: prevention of tumorigenesis, anti-recurrence and metastasis after surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, improvement of patients' immune function and promotion of postoperative rehabilitation, coordination of Western medicine with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, targeting, immunotherapy, etc., to reduce toxicity and increase efficiency, and for patients who are not suitable for or refuse Western medicine treatment, improve the quality of life and prolong survival.
Professor Xu Ruihua said that the integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine is a cancer treatment strategy advocated in clinical practice today, and the integration of traditional Chinese medicine into the whole process of treatment, and the role of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of tumors at different stages is expected to bring the greatest benefits to cancer patients. The key to realizing this strategy is to combine traditional Chinese medicine treatment methods with traditional surgical treatment methods organically, scientifically and reasonably, and give full play to the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine, so that cancer patients can truly achieve the greatest benefit, the best efficacy, the longest survival, the highest quality of life and the least cost. Further basic and clinical studies are to be carried out in the future.
Based on evidence-based, innovative traditional Chinese medicine can effectively inhibit tumor progression and significantly improve quality of life
Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule is a representative Chinese patent medicine for the treatment of tumors developed under the guidance of the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. Professor Cheng Haibo introduced that it is mainly composed of astragalus, ligustrum, ginseng, Ganoderma lucidum, etc. The whole formula is based on supplementation, and the combination of passing, eliminating and replenishing is used to strengthen the spleen and benefit the kidneys, dispel stasis and phlegm, fight cancer and detoxify, and eliminate the accumulation of blood and channels, so that the deficiency in the middle can be restored, the ruffians can be eliminated, and the cancer toxin can be removed, so as to play its role of "nourishing the positive accumulation and self-eliminating". The multi-pathway, multi-target and multi-effect therapeutic advantages of Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule, combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy and other treatment methods, can improve the quality of life of cancer patients, while inhibiting tumor progression, bringing double benefits to patients.
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Professor Xu Ruihua pointed out that in the previous research work, the anti-tumor effect and mechanism of Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule have been preliminarily explored, and a number of evidence-based studies have also confirmed the efficacy and safety of Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule against a variety of cancer types. The results of the "Study on the Inhibition of Tumor Angiogenesis by Yang Zheng Xiao Ji
A randomized, double-blind, multi-center clinical study of Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule combined with interventional chemotherapy for the treatment of primary liver cancer confirmed that Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule can significantly improve the symptoms and signs of traditional Chinese medicine and significantly improve the quality of life of patients. The clinical study of Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of colorectal cancer showed that its combination with FOLFIRI chemotherapy regimen in the treatment of colorectal cancer has good clinical efficacy, strengthens patients' immune resistance, improves quality of life, and improves the safety of treatment. A controlled clinical study of Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule combined with chemotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer confirmed that Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule combined with ondansetron could significantly reduce gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients after chemotherapy, and improve the quality of life of patients. The study of Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced lung cancer showed that Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule significantly improved appetite, increased body weight, improved clinical syndrome, and improved the quality of life of patients.
Professor Cheng Haibo concluded that clinical and experimental studies have shown that the combination of chemotherapy/radiotherapy in liver cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer and other malignant tumors can effectively reduce the incidence of adverse reactions, improve clinical symptoms and improve the quality of life of cancer patients. At present, Yangzheng Xiaoji Capsule has been recommended for the symptom management of tumors by the Chinese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Cancer Psychology (2020) and the Chinese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer-related Fatigue (2021).
summary
"With the acceleration of the pace of life, malignant tumors have gradually risen to become an important problem that poses a serious threat to the health of mainland people. It is hoped that the "World Cancer Day" can be used as an opportunity to advocate the whole society to put cancer prevention in a more important position in health management. Professor Xu Ruihua pointed out that for the prevention and treatment of tumors, the key lies in primary prevention, that is, to reduce the occurrence of tumors by developing healthy lifestyle habits. This includes not smoking, drinking less alcohol, exercising more, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding excessive stress and maintaining a positive mindset, and another key point is early diagnosis and treatment, which can achieve a cure rate of more than 95% in the early stages of the tumor. Therefore, cancer screening can detect potentially dangerous patients early and achieve effective intervention, which is essential to improve the cure rate of cancer patients.
Professor Xu Ruihua said that the combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of tumors can learn from each other's strengths, complement each other's advantages, and significantly improve the efficacy. As a unique part of the TCM physiotherapy system, the TCM theory of network disease can play an important guiding role in the prevention and treatment of tumors. It is expected that more scientific and rigorous Chinese medicine research can be carried out in the future, further apply the theory of network disease to the whole process of tumor management, and develop more "Chinese medicines" suitable for the characteristics of Chinese to benefit more cancer patients.
Bibliography:
1.Han B, Zheng R, Zeng H, et al. Cancer incidence and mortality in China, 2022[J]. Journal of the National Cancer Center, 2024.
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