Three Advantages of Chinese Medicine against Cancer China’s traditional Chinese medicine used to provide more choices for the treatment of tumor patients. At present, basic research and clinical research on Chinese medicine against cancer are very active. In traditional thinking, the role of traditional Chinese medicine against cancer is mainly reflected in the following aspects: it can improve the success rate of surgery, reduce complications and secondary diseases. Cooperate with radiotherapy and chemotherapy can reduce the toxicity and increase the effect. Improve the internal environment of the body, adjust the immune system, and effectively prevent the recurrence and metastasis of the tumor. Today, the strategic position of Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of tumors will change with the change of the whole cancer prevention and treatment strategy. The overall idea of Chinese medicine in the treatment of tumors should be adjusted, and while continuing to give full play to the advantages of the original therapies and avoiding the toxic side effects, the new treatment idea centered on zero-toxicity chemotherapy, inducing the differentiation and apoptosis of the cancer cells is worthy of full attention and efforts to be perfected. Three advantages of Chinese medicine in treating tumors First, it can effectively prevent the occurrence and development of tumors. The treatment of “tangible” tumors is not the specialty of Chinese medicine, but for the prevention of the occurrence of tumors that have not yet taken shape, the recurrence of tumors that have been eradicated, or the coexistence with cancers and survival with tumors, traditional Chinese medicine has its broad place of use, and it is possible to leap into the leading role. Chinese medicine is characterized by a holistic viewpoint based on “human being”, and the core of which is to adjust yin and yang, and there has long been a traditional understanding of “consulting Western doctors for acute illnesses, and looking for a bone-setter for chronic illnesses” among the general public. The occurrence of cancer has a long period of time from the carcinogens involved in human metabolism, cancer initiation, promotion, DNA damage, repair, and then enter the stage of precancerous lesions. It takes about 5~20 years for the atypical proliferation of precancerous cells to develop into carcinoma in situ, and then from carcinoma in situ to progressive cancer with infiltration or metastatic ability. This long developmental stage provides sufficient space for us to prevent and treat the cancer, or to block its development, or to make it reverse before the cancerous tumor “takes shape”, and to nip it in the bud. In other words, we can effectively prevent the occurrence of tumors. Regrettably, there was not enough awareness of this in the past, so there is still a lack of targeted efforts to explore and accumulate corresponding convincing information and experience. Secondly, the original advantages of Chinese medicine in the treatment of tumors include many aspects, such as improving the success rate of surgery, reducing complications and secondary diseases; cooperating with radiotherapy and chemotherapy to reduce toxicity and increase effectiveness; improving the internal environment of the body and adjusting immunity; or when tumor patients have already received surgery or radiotherapy, or after the relief of chemotherapy, the use of traditional Chinese medicines to prevent their recurrence or metastasis, and to consolidate their therapeutic efficacy. Thirdly, Chinese medicine can also play an important or major role in the direct treatment of tumors. In many areas where medical science is at its wits’ end, such as pancreatic cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, brain tumor, sarcoma, as well as the treatment of middle- and late-stage tumors that have already relapsed or metastasized, we can strive to explore and gain an important “right to speak”. Because in our experience, it seems that these tumor patients are not “at the end of their tether”; if they have the right thinking, orderly response, and good combination, the profound and profound Chinese medicine is completely possible to make them “see the light at the end of the tunnel”. In particular, it is a striking field to find anti-cancer active ingredients from natural medicines, enhance the immune function of the body, and induce the differentiation and apoptosis of cancer cells. In this regard, Chinese medicine will be of great help and play a most important role in the comprehensive treatment of cancer tumors. This has been amply demonstrated in our clinical practice for more than two decades. In conclusion, there is an extremely important place for Chinese medicine in reducing the incidence and mortality of cancer. It should not be confined to the present-day ancillary aspects of reducing the complications of radiotherapy or palliative care for patients with incurable advanced cancer. In view of this, we need to clearly recognize the differences between the patterns of Chinese medicine and Western medicine in the field of world health and their different advantages, accurately position the role of Chinese medicine in oncology treatment, and formulate a strategic direction suitable for the development of Chinese medicine. Questioning of “traditional therapies” Traditional Chinese medicine is basically a system of knowledge accumulated through empirical exploration, and sometimes, due to the lack of necessary “judgmental” experimental tests, there are some specious conclusions or experiences. It is these deficiencies that have led to the great differences in the views and evaluations of TCM treatment in the mainstream of the tumor treatment community. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate some TCM therapies based on scientific or rational understanding. The generalization of “fighting poison with poison” in traditional Chinese medicine is not an advantage of Chinese medicine in cancer treatment, and there is even no advantage to speak of. It is because many poisons in TCM have clear toxicity, but whether they have anticancer properties, or whether they really have anticancer effects in the clinic apart from simple pharmacological experiments, is questionable (according to the analysis: in animal experiments, whether a certain extracted component has anticancer properties and whether it has anticancer effects in the clinic of real individuals are not the same thing at all in many cases; the former is very common, while the latter is harder to reach a positive conclusion). The former is very common, while the latter is more difficult to draw positive conclusions). To take a step back, if we really want to “fight fire with fire”, it would be more appropriate to look for chemically synthesized anticancer drugs, which, after all, have undergone more stringent pharmacological screening and experiments since their introduction. In treating tumors with Chinese medicine, it is necessary to emphasize the “people-oriented” approach and consider the comprehensive interests of the patients, including the importance of improving the quality of life and survival of the patients, and not to do it in an arbitrary manner and kill only the cancer, and at the same time, it should carry out the principle of “increasing the joy” in medicine. At the same time, the principle of “increasing happiness” should be implemented in medicine. “Activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis” has been very fashionable for a long time in the fight against tumors. However, there are many clinical evidences showing that for advanced tumor patients, especially liver cancer patients, some medicines for activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis will not only promote intrahepatic metastasis, but also induce hemorrhage and lead to hepatic coma. Some experimental results have also confirmed that improper use of blood-activating drugs will promote rapid tumor growth and metastasis. Therefore, in many cases, caution should be exercised! This also leads to a deeper question, is the principle of “if there is evidence, use the right medicine” in Chinese medicine always correct? “Softening and dispersing” is also a commonly used anticancer therapy, and used to be one of the main treatments for thyroid tumors. However, research shows that some thyroid tumors are “iodine” dependent, and many of the softening medicines are high in iodine, such as sea baths, kombucha, etc., so these are contraindicated! Abuse of ginseng tonic is also a major drawback. Our research shows that the crude extract of ginseng has the effect of accelerating the growth of tumors in animals, and the abuse of ginseng is also common to the phenomenon of out-of-control tumors. Therefore, caution should be exercised. In conclusion, many “traditions” that people take for granted should be analyzed and screened, or even abandoned, in light of today’s clinical progress! “System engineering”: the best way to treat tumors in Chinese medicine Over the past twenty years, we have made a lot of new and useful explorations in the understanding and practice of Chinese medicine in treating tumors. We believe that “system engineering” is the best way to treat tumors in TCM. In the treatment of “system engineering”, we should abandon the shortcomings of only killing cancer and disregarding “people”, set up the new concept of “people-oriented”, emphasize the principle of “increasing pleasure” in medical treatment, and stress that the treatment should be more effective than the treatment of cancer. The new concept of “people-oriented” should be established, and the principle of “increasing pleasure” in medical treatment should be emphasized, as well as the fact that the best long-term therapeutic effect should be achieved at a smaller cost. Therefore, the principles of science, rationality and synthesis should be emphasized, and multiple treatment plans and methods should be combined scientifically with the help of evidence provided by evidence-based medicine. The principle of moderation should be emphasized for various traumatic treatments, and efforts should be made to avoid over-treatment and excessive injuries, which would not be worth the losses. What is related to tumor treatment and rehabilitation is not only drugs or surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy in Chinese and Western medicine, but also involves comprehensive links or means such as psychological, behavioral and social means, such as correcting erroneous cognition, forming a good personality, maintaining a stable emotion, reshaping a healthy lifestyle, determining a positive attitude towards life, and strengthening physical exercise. According to the principles of TCM and modern medicine, we have created a new method of effective tumor treatment called “zero-toxicity chemotherapy”, which is an orderly combination of certain natural extracts with definite composition and clear efficacy, and combined into a preparation that induces apoptosis and promotes differentiation of cancer cells, which is widely used in a variety of diseases, especially in the treatment of intractable pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, brain tumors and so on. It has been widely used in a variety of diseases, especially in the treatment of difficult-to-treat pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, brain tumor and so on, and has achieved good results. For example, in nearly 400 cases of advanced pancreatic cancer treated with pure Chinese medicine, the 3-year survival rate exceeded 40%. This treatment has the effect of chemotherapy, but it is calm and non-toxic, so it is called “zero-toxic chemotherapy”. Relevant researches have shown that the mechanism of Chinese medicine’s anti-tumor action in some advantageous areas mainly manifests itself in the following ways: regulating the cell cycle, inducing cell apoptosis, removing obstacles affecting cell differentiation, and prompting the reversal of “dedifferentiation”, as well as scavenging free radicals, modulating immune function, regulating enzyme expression, and regulating oncogenes, etc. These mechanisms can be found in preparations like zero-toxicity chemotherapy, but they are calm and toxic. These are also reflected in the research of zero-toxicity chemotherapeutic agents. These will have a wide impact on the clinical treatment of tumors. Traditional Chinese medicine has many therapeutic means, but in recent years, due to the influence of many factors, only one method of internal medicine is left in Chinese medicine, plus acupuncture and massage, which is obviously overstretched in the treatment of tumors. We carry forward the tradition and make full use of various other methods to cooperate with tumor treatment. For example, for patients with ascites and hydrothorax, we use external compresses, alternating wet and dry compresses, which has remarkable therapeutic effect and avoids difficulties in taking medicine and hurting the stomach (ascites patients are often very uncomfortable in drinking soup); those with intestinal adhesion or pain in the torso can be applied externally or fumigated; those with tumors of pubic or pelvic cavity can be given enemas or smoked; patients with cancer of the oral cavity and nasopharynx can sip, mouthwash or blow their noses from time to time; patients with cancer of the esophagus can be given pastes for swallowing difficulty; those with breast cancer, whose radical treatment causes swelling of the arms, can be applied externally and soaked to reduce the swelling. For breast cancer radical treatment causing arm swelling, external fumigation plus soaking can reduce the swelling; for those with much sweat in the head or asthma, Yongquan acupoint can lead the fire back to the source, and the qi can go down the line; for those with bone metastasis with pain or joint pain or hyperactivity of liver yang, decoction of traditional Chinese medicine can be used to soak both legs. In short, as long as it is helpful to relieve the symptoms, various external treatments can be adopted according to different people, which not only conforms to the principle of “increasing pleasure”, relieves the pain, but also avoids the damage to the stomach and intestines, and it is used with internal medicine without affecting the principle of suppressing the cancer. Since the prevention and treatment of tumors is a “systematic project”, in actual operation, it is necessary to creatively explore or form a series of forms or carriers that are sufficient to carry out the above prevention and treatment ideas. In these aspects, we have made many useful attempts. For example, in response to cancer patients’ fear of cancer, we have organized a team of “love messengers” composed of recovered cancer patients, to dispel the fear of cancer and stimulate their positive passion for fighting cancer through their personal experience; in response to cancer patients’ emotions or shadows when they seek medical treatment, we have developed a unique “round-table treatment”, which is based on the collective treatment of doctors and patients. In order to deal with the psychological pressure of certain patients, it has set up the method of “speech therapy”, in which recovered patients who have gone through certain training chat with them and release their feelings, so the whole process of diagnosis and treatment becomes a “happy” outpatient clinic. The whole process of diagnosis and treatment has become a “happy” outpatient clinic; in view of the fact that there is a long consolidation and rehabilitation period for patients after surgery and radiotherapy, the clinic cooperates with cancer clubs or creates its own home for cancer patients, and organizes “rehabilitation camps” on a regular basis, so that patients are constantly given collective education and psychotherapy, etc. It is these forms and carriers that are powerful and effective. It is these forms and carriers that strongly ensure the comprehensive effect of tumor treatment, thus significantly improving the survival period and quality of life of patients.