Lung Cancer – How is it treated in Chinese medicine?

  Lung cancer is a common clinical malignant tumor, and surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy are the main treatment modalities at present. For some post-operative recurrence, failure of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, insensitivity of targeted therapy, or advanced elderly patients, TCM treatment can effectively improve symptoms and quality of life, how does TCM treat lung cancer?  First, spleen deficiency, phlegm and dampness type. The patient has a cough with phlegm, white phlegm or foamy phlegm, fat body shape, white face, chest tightness, shortness of breath, abdominal distension, loose stools, body tiredness, light fat tongue with teeth marks, white greasy moss and slippery pulse. The treatment is to strengthen the spleen, warm the yang, resolve dampness and dispel phlegm, with reference to Er Chen Tang and Shen Ling Bai Zhu Wan.  Second, Yin deficiency and internal heat. Frequent cough with little sticky phlegm, blood in the phlegm, or mainly dry cough, low fever in the afternoon, dry mouth and dry throat, red tongue with little moss and fine pulse. The treatment is to nourish Yin and lower fire.  Third, Qi and Yin deficiency type. Weakness, easy sweating, low voice, low cough, dry mouth and dry throat, light red tongue, thin coating and weak pulse. Most often seen in patients with advanced disease or after radiotherapy. The treatment is qi-yin double tonic, and the formula is Ten Perfect Tonic Pills, Ginseng Yang Rong Tang or Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang plus or minus.  Fourth, Qi stagnation and blood stasis type. Mostly associated with chest pain, shortness of breath and chest tightness, dark skin color, blue lips, irritability, constipation, red tongue, or dark red, dark tongue body, or petechiae, thickened veins under the tongue, and string veins. The treatment is to remove blood stasis by promoting qi and activating blood circulation. The formula is Chai Hu Dredging Liver San, Blood Mansion and Eliminating Stasis Tang or Body Pain and Eliminating Stasis Tang with addition and subtraction.  Fifthly, phlegm and blood stasis intertwine. The manifestations are pain in the body, cough, phlegm, asthma, or hemoptysis, chest pain, poor appetite, abdominal fullness, constipation, weakness, and mental health. The disease is characterized by phlegm, asthma, pain and cough, and the body is still in good condition, so called evil is not deficient. The treatment is to dispel phlegm and resolve stasis, and the formula can be referred to Pores and Pores Rolling Phlegm Pill, Seaweed Yuhu Tang and Lost Smile San plus or minus.