How does traditional Chinese medicine effectively treat liver cancer? Know the eight causes of liver cancer early

Liver cancer is a common malignant tumor with a very high mortality rate. The cause of liver cancer has always been a key topic of concern. So what are the causes of liver cancer?

What are the eight causes of liver cancer?

Chronic liver disease: viral hepatitis in particular is closely related to the onset of liver cancer and is called the "catalyst" of liver cancer by the medical community. Hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) are the most important. Data show that more than 30% of liver cancer patients have a history of chronic hepatitis, and more than half of them are positive for Australia antibody (HbsAg). Therefore, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus are regarded as one of the cancer-promoting factors, which is the cause of liver cancer.

Long-term consumption of pickled, fried, and smoked foods can also induce liver cancer: the nitrosamines contained in pickled foods and the 3,4-benzopyrene contained in fried and smoked foods can induce cancer, so in our daily lives we should try to reduce the consumption of pickled, fried, and smoked foods such as pickled meat, grilled meat, grilled sausages, salted fish, and pickles.

Cirrhosis: Medical observations have found that approximately 50% to 90% of liver cancer patients have varying degrees of cirrhosis, so cirrhosis is also considered a cancer-promoting factor. Therefore, patients with cirrhosis should undergo regular checkups to prevent the occurrence of liver cancer.

Eating spoiled food can also induce liver cancer: studies have found that moldy food will produce a toxic metabolite in its mold - aflatoxin, which is the strongest biological carcinogen discovered today. Therefore, people should avoid eating moldy foods such as moldy peanuts, corn, rice, dried potatoes, dried radishes, dairy products, soy products, etc.

Water pollution: Severe pollution of drinking water is one of the important causes of liver cancer, especially polluted ditch water, followed by river water, and well water is the lowest. Therefore, in villages without tap water facilities, drinking well water should be encouraged.

Immune status: Some people believe that the plasma of liver cancer patients contains a blocking factor that can inhibit cellular immunity and protect liver cancer cells from being killed by immune cells. It has been proven that alpha-fetoprotein (AFp) can inhibit the phagocytosis of lymphocytes and macrophages.

Gene mutation: In recent years, some people believe that mutagens and viruses in the environment stimulate the activation of liver cell division response pathways, causing point mutations and gene translocations in cells, which are possible factors that accelerate the proliferation of cancer cells.

Other factors: Overnutrition (macronutrients) or nutritional deficiency (such as vitamin A, B1 deficiency), hemochromatosis, parasitic infection and heredity are also risk factors for liver cancer.

What are the principles of TCM in treating liver cancer?

Treatment principles based on disease differentiation and syndrome differentiation

Once liver cancer is diagnosed in the early stage, the essence of liver cancer must be grasped. Although there are no obvious symptoms in the early stage, anti-cancer Chinese medicines that mainly expel pathogens should be used on the basis of disease differentiation, and at the same time, products that strengthen the spleen and stomach, soothe the liver and regulate qi, and promote blood circulation and disperse knots should be used. In the middle and late stages of liver cancer, complex syndromes of deficiency and excess, cold and heat emerge in an endless stream. On the basis of disease differentiation, it is necessary to examine the symptoms and use medicines according to the changes in the condition, and be flexible and diverse, so that many dangerous signs and dangerous symptoms can be resolved at any time. Otherwise, if the symptoms are separated from the endless symptoms and the disease is stuck, and the syndrome is lost, liver cancer patients often die prematurely, which is a pity. Doctors must remember the importance of syndrome differentiation and treatment.

The therapeutic principle of strengthening the body's resistance and eliminating pathogenic factors

If the patient is in the early stage of liver cancer and is healthy, the treatment must be based on “eliminating evil as the main method and strengthening the body’s health as the auxiliary method”. Only by seizing this favorable opportunity can some patients be clinically cured. Otherwise, the patient’s life can only be prolonged but it is difficult to cure. If the patient is in the middle or late stage of liver cancer and is weak and has metastasized, if the patient’s health is weakened by only attacking the pathogenic factors and using little or no Chinese medicine to strengthen the body’s health, the patient’s health will be weakened. Although the tumor has shrunk, most patients still cannot prolong their lives, and the result will be half the effort with twice the results.

Principles of internal and external governance

The condition of liver cancer in the middle and late stages is serious. Only by taking both internal and external treatments can the patient's pain be quickly relieved and the patient's life be prolonged. In fact, treating internal diseases with external treatment is one of the characteristics of Chinese medicine. Although liver cancer is an internal organ disease, it manifests itself externally. For example, pain in the liver area, even severe pain, ascites, etc. For this reason, aromatic products such as musk, toad, frankincense, myrrh, and borneol should be used. After being soaked in wine for a week, they should be applied externally to the liver area with Qimen as the central acupoint. Combined with internal Chinese medicine, it can quickly relieve pain and eliminate tumors. Musk, raw astragalus, Erchou, and Gansui products should be applied to the navel. Combined with internal Chinese medicine, it can expel water without hurting the body.

Therapeutic principles for treating the liver and spleen

Master Zhongjing believed that "when seeing liver disease, we know that the liver transmits to the spleen, and we should strengthen the spleen first", pointing out the holistic treatment concept of the relationship between the liver and spleen. The liver is responsible for the release of qi and blood, and the spleen is responsible for transportation and transformation. The liver and spleen regulate each other in the distribution of qi and blood in the human body. Liver and spleen disorders are essentially the basic pathological mechanism of liver cancer. Therefore, the treatment of liver cancer must first start with regulating the liver and spleen, and we cannot treat the liver in isolation without treating the spleen. Moreover, in clinical practice, most patients with mid- and late-stage liver cancer have "spleen deficiency" symptoms such as abdominal distension, poor appetite and poor appetite. Therefore, the method of regulating the liver and spleen not only reflects the holistic concept of traditional Chinese medicine in treating liver cancer, but also eliminates the symptoms caused by metabolic and immune disorders caused by spleen deficiency. Regulating the liver and spleen is the basic principle in the treatment of liver cancer.