What are the TCM diagnosis methods for gallbladder cancer

Early gallbladder cancer lacks specific symptoms and mainly manifests as symptoms of acute or chronic cholecystitis, mostly chronic cholecystitis, with discomfort in the right upper abdomen, poor appetite, weight loss and weakness, right upper abdominal mass and pain, jaundice, nausea and other symptoms. These indicate that gallbladder cancer has invaded the liver and common bile duct or hepatic and duodenal lymph nodes and is already in the late stage. So what are the Chinese medicine diagnostic methods for gallbladder cancer? Let's take a closer look at this issue.

(I) Qi stagnation and phlegm stagnation

Analysis of the pathogenesis: Liver qi stagnation leads to unfavorable qi movement; liver qi suppresses spleen, dampness gathers into phlegm; qi stagnation and phlegm condense, gradually forming masses. Liver qi stagnation leads to dull pain or pain in the right flank; liver qi invades the stomach, leading to abdominal distension, belching, and nausea; liver qi invades spleen, leading to poor appetite and abdominal distension; emotions are closely related to qi movement, so symptoms increase and decrease with mood fluctuations; slippery tongue coating and stringy pulse are signs of qi stagnation and phlegm condensation.

(II) Phlegm and Blood Stasis

Pathogenesis analysis: Spleen deficiency or postnatal malnutrition causes spleen deficiency and dampness to accumulate and form phlegm; phlegm blocks the meridians, causing blood stasis to stagnate, forming phlegm and blood stasis. Blood stasis blocks the right flank, so there is distension or stabbing pain; spleen deficiency and dampness stagnate, so there is abdominal distension, nausea and poor appetite; phlegm and blood stasis accumulate over time, so lumps can be seen under the ribs; phlegm and blood stasis affect the circulation of bile, and the body and eyes are yellow; white and greasy tongue coating, ecchymosis on the tongue, and stringy and slippery pulse are signs of phlegm and blood stasis.

(III) Damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder

Analysis of the pathogenesis: Exposure to damp-heat or diet damages the spleen, water and dampness stagnate inside the body, dampness turns into heat, fumigating the liver and gallbladder, so there is distension and pain in the right flank, or radiating to the right shoulder blade; damp-heat disturbs the heart, so there is chest tightness and pain; damp-heat blocks the middle part, stomach qi is out of harmony, so there is nausea and vomiting; gallbladder heat steams up, so there is a bitter taste in the mouth; bile does not flow through the normal channel, so there is yellow body, eyes, and urine; damp-heat stagnates, visceral qi is blocked, so there is constipation; yellow greasy tongue coating and slippery and stringy pulse are signs of damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder.

(IV) Liver and Gallbladder Fire

Pathogenesis analysis: Hyperactivity of Yang in the body, or emotional depression, which turns into fire, forms the syndrome of liver and gallbladder fire. Liver meridian heat is strong, so there is flank pain; bile circulation is not smooth, so there is jaundice; heat disturbs the mind, so there is high fever and irritability; heat damages Yin, so there is dry mouth, bitter mouth, constipation, and yellow and red urine; liver qi invades the spleen, and the spleen fails to transport and transform, so there is poor appetite and abdominal distension; liver qi invades the stomach, and stomach qi goes up, so there is nausea and vomiting; yellow and dry tongue coating and stringy and slippery pulse are signs of liver and gallbladder fire.

(V) Spleen deficiency and dampness obstruction

Pathogenesis analysis: Diet hurts the spleen, or wood disease overcomes earth, water and dampness cannot flow, forming the syndrome of spleen deficiency and dampness. Phlegm and dampness block the bile and prevent it from flowing normally, so the face and skin turn yellow; earth deficiency and wood depression, so there is dull pain in the right flank; spleen deficiency and dampness stagnation, so there is abdominal distension, poor appetite, weak limbs, and loose stools; white and greasy tongue coating, pale tongue and fat body, deep and thin pulse or moist and thin pulse are the signs of spleen deficiency and dampness.

TCM treatment of gallbladder cancer is divided into several methods: syndrome differentiation and treatment, single prescription treatment and acupuncture treatment. Currently, most TCM treatments for gallbladder cancer are performed after surgery, or in combination with chemotherapy. However, there are also reports of patients who are unable to undergo surgery or are unwilling to undergo surgery and are treated with Chinese medicine alone.