How to choose TCM treatment for kidney cancer patients after surgery?

  The 5-year tumor-specific survival rate after surgery for patients with early-stage renal cancer was 93.8% compared with 79.4% for patients with stage III (pT3a). u Even when limited renal cancer was removed surgically at diagnosis, about 10% to 20% of patients still died from tumor recurrence in the 1st 5 years.  There is no absolute correlation between tumor size and stage. Some patients with small kidney cancer have lymph node metastasis, are T3a stage or poorly differentiated. Some early stage patients are characterized by simultaneous or heterochronic metastasis, and the literature reports that about 4%~7% of patients have metastasis.  In response to the above problems we have a reason to choose TCM treatment as the main means of postoperative recurrence prevention.  TCM treatment refers to the application of natural plants, minerals and animals for the treatment and prevention of various cancers under the guidance of TCM theory. Chinese medicine has the characteristics of natural medicine, which is an effective treatment tool in the treatment process of chronic diseases such as tumors. Generally speaking, drugs of the regulating class can be taken for a long time, while drugs of the attacking class should be used for the disease and should not be taken for a long time.  At present, in the field of tumor treatment, there are dozens of state-approved proprietary Chinese medicines, which can be roughly divided into anti-tumor drugs and anti-tumor adjuvant drugs. Anti-tumor Chinese medicine generally has a fixed course of treatment, while anti-tumor adjuvant drugs are mostly used in conjunction with radiotherapy. Antitumor adjuvant drugs generally do not contain with toxic drugs and are mainly used to improve symptoms, which are in great demand by patients and clinicians often prescribe this type of drugs to patients for a long time.  Chinese medicine tonics can provide targeted treatment for kidney cancer patients. Tonics are prescribed by doctors according to patients’ specific conditions, after identifying the corresponding treatment rules and methods, and then combined with doctors’ diagnosis and treatment experience. Generally, the medicine is prescribed for one to two weeks, and then adjusted according to the changes in the condition and the effectiveness of the treatment. The advantage of tonics is that it is flexible, and the type and dosage of drugs vary according to the patient’s specific condition and the doctor’s experience. The research of the Department of Integrative Oncology of China-Japan Friendship Hospital found that taking tonic Chinese medicine with evidence for kidney cancer patients can control the tumor and prolong the survival period.  Example of post-operative treatment for kidney cancer: We found that most kidney cancer patients have symptoms such as soreness in the waist and knees, weakness, low fever and dullness, which are due to deficiency of kidney and qi and remaining toxicity. Eucommia nigra 9g, Gynostemma spp. 12g, Hesperidin 20g, Qomai 15g, Tu Fu Ling 20g, Lungwort 20g, Hemerocallis 30g, Serpent’s tongue 30g, etc., together with Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, Rhizoma Rhizoma, or long-term use to consolidate the effect of surgery and prevent recurrence and metastasis. For post-operative proteinuria of kidney cancer, Chinese herbal medicine can be given: 30g of raw astragalus, 30g of parasiticus, 15g of codonopsis, 15g of yam, 15g of cuscuta, 15g of shamrock, 15g of Xianling spleen, 15g of rehmannia, 12g of zedoary, 9g of atractylodes, 15g of wolfberry, 12g of dandruff, 9g of nux vomica, etc., in water decoction, 1 dose daily.