What Chinese medicine should I take for advanced esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer seriously damages everyone's health and threatens people's lives, so we must improve our understanding of the disease and learn about its treatment methods in a timely manner. Since ancient times, treatment based on traditional Chinese medicine has been the most important for dialectical treatment. What traditional Chinese medicine should be taken for late stage esophageal cancer? Let's take a look.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the main cause of esophageal cancer is yang deficiency, which leads to poor organ function, weak qi and blood, and empty Chong and Ren meridians, which leads to abnormal qi and blood circulation, resulting in Chong and Ren disorders, qi stagnation and blood stasis, which will accumulate phlegm and produce poisons over time, and condense in the body to form cancer. Looking at the course of the disease, it is due to deficiency that leads to excess, and due to excess that leads to more deficiency, resulting in a mixture of deficiency and excess, and deficiency at the root and excess at the superficial level. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the causes of its onset mainly include two factors. The external causes are mostly the invasion of the six evils (the six evils are the general term for the six exogenous pathogenic evils of wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness, and fire), cold and dampness disorders, and improper diet; the internal causes include yin and yang disorders, seven emotions, internal deficiency of the organs, qi stagnation and blood stasis, stubborn phlegm and bad blood, etc., and especially emphasize the influence of emotions, phlegm, and qi deficiency and blood deficiency on the disease.

Traditional Chinese medicine divides esophageal cancer into five types:

1. Phlegm and Blood Stasis Syndrome

Main symptoms: difficulty in swallowing, even difficulty swallowing water, fixed pain in the chest and back, vomiting of sticky phlegm, hard stools, or vomiting of red bean-like stools, emaciation, rough skin and nails, ecchymosis or bluish tongue, and a thready and wiry pulse.

Treatment method: resolve phlegm, soften hard masses, promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis.

Prescription: Qi Ge San (from "Medical Insights"), He Tao Hong Yin (from "Lei Zheng Zhi Fa"), Adenophora Root, Poria Cocos, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Fritillaria cirrhosa, Curcuma Radix, Amomum villosum shell (added later), Lotus leaf stalk, Pestle head bran, Peach Kernel, Safflower, Chuanxiong, Chinese Angelica, Clematis chinensis.

If blood stasis is severe, add Panax notoginseng, red peony root, and dung beetle; if vomiting of sticky phlegm is present, add seaweed, kelp, and Dioscorea bulbifera; if vomiting occurs after taking the medicine and it is difficult to swallow, take Yu Shu Dan first and then the decoction.

Analysis: The salvia miltiorrhiza, curcuma, amomum villosum shell, peach kernel, safflower, radix radix and chuanxiong in the formula can invigorate blood circulation and dissipate blood stasis, promote qi and relieve depression, while adenophora can promote body fluid and moisten dryness; fritillaria cirrhosa, poria and clematis can infiltrate dampness, dissipate phlegm and resolve nodules; lotus bud and pestle head bran can dissipate dampness, harmonize the stomach and reduce adverse reactions. The whole formula can dissipate phlegm, soften hard masses, invigorate blood circulation and dissipate blood stasis, and it can effectively cure the pathogenesis of phlegm and blood stasis.

2. Qi deficiency and weak Yang syndrome

Main symptoms: long-term inability to eat, pale complexion, mental fatigue, cold body and shortness of breath, vomiting clear saliva, puffy face and shins, abdominal distension and loose stools, pale and fat tongue, thin white and slippery tongue coating, weak or deep pulse. Treatment: replenish qi and strengthen spleen, warm and nourish kidney yang.

Prescription: Buqi Yunpi Decoction (Tongzhi Fang) combined with Yougui Pills (Jingyue Quanshu), ginseng, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, roasted licorice root, Astragalus membranaceus, dried tangerine peel, Amomum villosum (added later), Pinellia tuber, ginger, jujube, Rehmannia glutinosa, yam, Cornus officinalis, wolfberry, Eucommia ulmoides, cinnamon bark (added later), cooked aconite root.

For vomiting, add Inula odoratum, magnetite, and fried bamboo shavings; for loose stools and abdominal distension, add fried Atractylodes lancea, fried Citrus aurantium, and costusroot; for pain, add Corydalis yanhusuo, frankincense, and myrrh.

Analysis: In the Qi-boosting and Pi-yun Decoction, ginseng, white atractylodes, poria, and roasted licorice are the four-gentleman decoction, which replenishes qi and strengthens the spleen. Astragalus and jujube are added to strengthen the function of replenishing qi, tonifying the middle and raising yang. Tangerine peel, pinellia, amomum, and ginger promote qi, harmonize the stomach and reduce adverse reactions. Yougui Pills use Rehmannia glutinosa, Chinese yam, cornus officinalis, wolfberry, and Chinese angelica to replenish the kidney and replenish essence, nourish yin and nourish blood. Cinnamon, aconite, antler glue, Eucommia ulmoides, and Cuscuta australis to warm and replenish kidney yang, which is a method of seeking yang in yin, warming and replenishing kidney yang and replenishing essence and nourishing blood. The two prescriptions are used together to play the role of warming and replenishing the spleen and kidney. When the disease reaches the stage of qi deficiency and yang deficiency, it is generally advisable to use a medicine that warms the spleen and replenishes qi to save the source of postnatal metabolism. When you can eat or take medicine a little, use the prescription of warming the spleen and replenishing the kidney, or use the two prescriptions together, or take them alternately, and slowly.

3. Syndrome of heat toxicity damaging yin

Main symptoms: severe swallowing difficulty, dysphagia, burning pain behind the sternum, dry mouth and throat, restlessness and insomnia, or hot flashes and night sweats, dark urine and constipation, red tongue with little fluid or purple or cracked tongue, thin yellow or little tongue coating, or bare tongue coating, and stringy and fine pulse.

Treatment method: Nourish yin, clear away heat, detoxify and disperse blood stasis.

Prescription: Adenophora and Ophiopogon Decoction (from Treatise on Febrile Diseases), Adenophora, Polygonatum, Polygonatum officinale, Raw Phaseolus, Radix Trichosanthis, Winter mulberry leaves, and Raw liquorice.

For heat poison, add honeysuckle, Sophora flavescens, beehive, and lithospermum officinale root; for dry throat and dry mouth, add Radix Rehmanniae, Salvia miltiorrhiza, and Scrophularia ningpoensis; for hot flashes and night sweats, add Radix Bupleuri, Radix Dioscoreae, and Rhizoma Anemarrhenae; for dry stool in the intestines and constipation, add Rhubarb and Polygonum multiflorum. Stop when the disease is cured to avoid further damage to body fluids. For anti-cancer, add Hedyotis diffusa, Scutellaria barbata, and Lithospermum officinale.

Analysis: The Radix Adenophorae, Radix Ophiopogonis, Radix Polygonati, Radix Trichosanthis in the prescription can clear away heat, nourish the yin of the lung and stomach, and promote the production of body fluids and moisten dryness; the raw lentils and raw licorice can nourish the qi and nourish the middle, and their sweetness can soothe the stomach; the winter mulberry leaves can clear away dryness and heat. The whole prescription is nourishing and combined, clearing away heat and nourishing yin, promoting the production of body fluids and moistening dryness. However, it has too much nourishment and heat clearing, and lacks the power to detoxify and disperse blood stasis. Therefore, when using this prescription, it is necessary to add drugs that can clear away heat and detoxify, and dissipate blood stasis and disperse knots to achieve the desired effect.

4. Qi and blood deficiency syndrome

Main symptoms: long-term severe obstruction, inability to drink water, emaciation, pale face, shortness of breath, low voice, dizziness, palpitations, limb fatigue, pale tongue with white coating, weak pulse

Treatment method: Invigorate Qi and blood, nourish the heart and strengthen the spleen.

Prescription: Bazhen Decoction (Zhengti Leiyao), ginseng, radix atractylodes, poria, roasted licorice, rehmannia, angelica, peony root, and ligusticum chuanxiong.

For patients with severe obstruction, add raw pinellia, raw arisaema, and schizonepeta; for patients with poor appetite and abdominal distension, add chicken gizzard lining, scorched hawthorn, and fructus aurantii; for patients with loose stools and diarrhea, add stir-fried atractylodes and Chinese yam; for patients with dry mouth and throat, add radix adenophorae and ophiopogon; for patients with leukocytopenia after radiotherapy, add astragalus, wolfberry, and millettia reticulata; for patients with nausea, add

Analysis: Ginseng in this prescription greatly replenishes vital energy, nourishes the spleen and lungs, white atractylodes strengthens the spleen and eliminates dampness, poria strengthens the spleen and eliminates dampness, and licorice is sweet and mild to invigorate qi and harmonize the middle. The combination of the four medicines can both replenish qi and strengthen the spleen, and provide the source of qi and blood biochemical transformation. Rehmannia nourishes the kidney, nourishes yin and nourishes blood, angelica nourishes blood and activates blood circulation, chuanxiong promotes qi and activates blood circulation, white peony nourishes blood and harmonizes the camp, softens the liver and relieves pain. The combination of the four medicines replenishes blood and activates blood circulation. The whole prescription has the effect of replenishing qi and nourishing blood. If detoxifying and dispersing drugs such as Hedyotis diffusa, Prunella vulgaris, and Asparagus cochinchinensis are added, the effect will be better.

5. Phlegm-Qi obstruction syndrome

Main symptoms: swallowing obstruction, chest fullness, which may be slightly relieved when the mood is good, dry mouth and throat, red tongue, thin and greasy tongue coating, and thin and slippery pulse.

Treatment method: Regulate Qi and reduce adverse effects, dry up dampness and resolve phlegm.

Prescription: Xuanfu Daizhe Decoction (from "Jinkui Yaolue"), Xuanfu flower (decocted in a wrapped package), Daizhe stone, ginseng, Pinellia ternata, ginger, jujube, and roasted licorice.

In case of Qi deficiency, add Astragalus and Polygonatum sibiricum; in case of blood deficiency, add Angelica sinensis and Polygonum multiflorum; in case of Yin deficiency, add Adenophora radix and Ophiopogon japonicus; in case of Yang deficiency, remove Pinellia ternata and add Cooked Aconite root and Cassia twig; in case of chest pain, add Corydalis yanhusuo, Crataegus pinnatifida, Barley sprout and Barley malt; in case of loose stools, remove Hematite and add Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos and Phaseolus gramineus; in case of chest tightness caused by Qi stagnation, add Curcuma aromatica, Trichosanthes kirilowii and Magnolia officinalis.

Analysis: In the formula, the scutellaria baicalensis can dissipate phlegm and lower Qi; the daiheshi can calm the stomach and lower the adverse symptoms; the pinellia tuber and ginger can dissipate phlegm and lower the adverse symptoms, disperse the stagnation and stop vomiting; the ginseng, licorice and jujube can strengthen the spleen and benefit the stomach; the whole formula can lower Qi, dissipate phlegm and harmonize the stomach. It is very effective in relieving the symptoms of chest fullness, nausea, belching, hiccups, abdominal distension and loose stools in patients with esophageal cancer.

Warm reminder: The above prescriptions need to be taken under the guidance of professional doctors to avoid ineffective treatment and adverse consequences. I hope everyone will pay attention to it for themselves and their families. If you have symptoms of illness, you must go to a regular hospital for active treatment to avoid delaying the disease. I wish you good health.