TCM Syndrome Differentiation and Classification of Advanced Esophageal Cancer

A 76-year-old male patient was diagnosed with advanced esophageal cancer in a local hospital in October 2011. He has difficulty eating. Are there any good treatments?

The patient is old and in the late stage of esophageal cancer. He has difficulty eating. Surgery is not suitable for this patient. Conservative treatment can be adopted. The combination of Chinese and Western medicine is suitable for patients with late stage esophageal cancer.

The main TCM syndrome differentiation types for advanced esophageal cancer are:

1. Qi stagnation type

Main symptoms: early esophageal cancer symptoms, no obvious dysphagia, only choking, foreign body sensation or burning pain in the esophagus when swallowing, chest discomfort and tightness in the back, intermittent swallowing difficulty. X-ray examination mainly shows lesions of early esophageal cancer. Pale tongue, thin white tongue coating, stringy pulse.

Treatment method: Soothe the liver and regulate qi, warm yang and invigorate qi, strengthen the body and inhibit tumors.

2. Yin withers and Yang declines

Main symptoms: late stage of the disease, difficulty swallowing, close to obstruction, nausea and vomiting, emaciated body, shortness of breath and fatigue, fever and dry lips, dry stool like feces, dark red tongue, thin and small, little or no coating, and some have yellow, black, dry and cracked coating, and a weak and thready pulse or a deep and weak pulse.

Treatment method: Nourish yin and tonify yang, replenish qi and nourish blood.

3. Choking type

Main symptoms: simple symptoms, mild choking or dysphagia. X-ray examinations mostly show early and middle-stage medullary and fungus-type esophageal cancer. Dark green tongue, yellow-white fur, and stringy and thin pulse.

Treatment method: Anti-cancer and dispersing nodules, regulating Qi and relieving adverse effects, warming Yang and strengthening the body.