I. The role and status of Chinese medicine in tumor treatment In clinical work, I believe many physicians will encounter a similar problem: patients ask if they can only take Chinese medicine for treatment when they have malignant tumors and are afraid of the toxic side effects of surgery and radiotherapy. We clearly say: no. Nowadays, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the three major means of tumor treatment, but for most of the malignant tumors, the above single means cannot guarantee the cure and eliminate recurrence and metastasis. Nowadays, the treatment strategy is to integrate each treatment method to improve the efficacy, reduce toxic side effects and recurrence and metastasis as much as possible. This integrated approach should include Chinese medicine. The role of TCM on tumor is mainly reflected in the following aspects 1. Direct effect on tumor: including induction of apoptosis and direct killing. There are many research reports in recent years, mainly in vitro research experiments of single medicine, and the drugs are concentrated on heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese medicines, which mainly function by blocking or inhibiting the synthesis of DNA, RNA and protein of tumor cells and interfering with the energy metabolism of tumor cells. Some of them are commonly used clinically, such as Bupleurum album, vine pear root, salicornia root, sanguinaria mushroom, baiying, and triduum root. Although experimental studies have confirmed this effect, from the experience of clinical use, the direct killing effect of herbs on tumors is far from powerful enough to be compared with radiotherapy, let alone surgical treatment that can remove tumors directly. Therefore, when the tumor load is large, it is inappropriate to use Chinese medicine alone to fight against tumor. 2. Effectiveness and toxicity reduction in radiotherapy Effectiveness and toxicity reduction is one of the strong points of Chinese medicine in tumor treatment, and it seems to be the reason why Chinese medicine is accepted by many tumor patients and oncologists. Effectiveness enhancement mainly refers to the combined application of certain Chinese medicines with radiotherapy, which can significantly increase the sensitivity of tumor to treatment and improve the efficacy. For example, Danshen for chemotherapy sensitization and Wolfberry for radiotherapy sensitization. Relevant studies have shown that this may be due to the ability of traditional Chinese medicine to enhance specific and non-specific immunity of the specific organism and prevent the formation of multidrug resistance to chemotherapy. Almost all radiotherapy has different degrees of toxic side effects, killing tumor cells while also having a greater killing effect on normal human cells, such as proliferating bone marrow stem cells, gastrointestinal mucosa, etc. It can also act on the medulla oblongata vomiting center or the chemosensory trigger zone at the base of the fourth ventricle, causing toxic reactions such as blood triplet reduction, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, weakness, etc., and these symptoms can often be achieved through These symptoms can often be significantly improved by the intervention of TCM. Academic studies on TCM toxicity reduction, both experimental and clinical, are numerous. Our clinical studies in recent years have confirmed that TCM can reduce the toxic side effects of radiotherapy; adjuvant radiotherapy, which can improve the completion rate of radiotherapy. It also has good effect on radiation pneumonia. 3.Changing the internal environment of tumor growth, reducing recurrence and metastasis and prolonging survival Tumor recurrence and metastasis is the main difficulty of treatment, and reducing recurrence and metastasis is also the advantage of Chinese medicine. After surgical treatment and radiotherapy, the first thing that tumor patients have to face is the problem of tumor recurrence and metastasis. Modern research proves that tumor cells have the ability to avoid attack and dormant themselves, and the growth of tumor also needs suitable environment. Surgery and radiotherapy cannot remove the dormant tumor cells in the body, nor can they change the environment of tumor growth. Most of the tumors already have remote metastasis when they are diagnosed, surgery and radiotherapy are local treatment, chemotherapy can kill all tumor cells, but if there are residual tumor cells in the body after treatment, they will recover and start to proliferate, which is the main reason for tumor recurrence. According to TCM, tumor is the local manifestation of systemic disease, and the internal environment of the body is the soil for tumor growth. After conventional treatment, using TCM to regulate the dynamic balance of the body’s internal environment and improve the immune function of the body can reduce tumor recurrence and metastasis and prolong the survival of patients. The results of the national industry-specific research we have completed show that the combination of Chinese medicine during chemotherapy for colon cancer patients can improve the immune function, reduce recurrence and metastasis, and increase the survival rate. Of course, TCM has other effects such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory and endocrine regulation. Indications and toxic side effects of TCM As mentioned above, the advantages of TCM in treating tumors are so many that it is widely accepted by tumor patients in China and recognized by knowledgeable people in oncology. However, it is undeniable that nowadays, with great emphasis on the research of molecular mechanism of medicine, the treatment of tumor by TCM is still based on the basic theory of TCM, and the general direction is still based on the discriminatory treatment with the discriminatory treatment of disease, and it is still necessary to follow the theoretical basis of TCM that “medicine is three kinds of poison” and use TCM reasonably. The rational use of Chinese medicine must be taken seriously by society, especially by doctors. 1, the use of Chinese medicine has its indications Whether it is a prescription medicine or a finished medicine, it is necessary for the Chinese medicine practitioner to correctly identify the patient before using it. This is especially necessary in the use of adult medicine. At present, there are many anti-tumor proprietary Chinese medicines on the market, and the scope of use is also explained, but they are basically divided according to diseases, without strict restrictions on the types of evidence, which has laid hidden dangers for their inappropriate use, not only failing to achieve the expected curative effect, but also causing certain adverse reactions. For example, tumor patients with abdominal distension and diarrhea, poor appetite, pale tongue with white fur, and weak spleen and stomach as identified by traditional Chinese medicine, are not suitable to use Chinese medicines that emphasize heat-clearing and detoxifying anti-tumor drugs, such as Jinlong capsule. Patients with hot flushes and sweating, red tongue with little coating after radiotherapy, and with yin deficiency and fire, are not suitable to use Chinese medicines containing red ginseng and astragalus. If you do not pay attention to the clinical evidence, can not be reasonably selected, there will certainly be “caused by the disease” situation. 2, Chinese medicine has toxic side effects Modern research shows that Chinese medicine is not absolutely safe without side effects, some Chinese medicines have clear toxic side effects on the human body, such as neem, Panax notoginseng, Huang Yao Zi, Shang Lu, etc. hepatotoxicity, a large number of motherwort nephrotoxicity. However, with reasonable formulae and strict control of dosage and treatment course, we can also make use of their strengths and avoid their toxicity. In conclusion, Chinese medicine has an irreplaceable role in the process of tumor prevention and treatment, but the premise is that professional Chinese medicine practitioners need to carry out reasonable identification of symptoms and diseases under the guidance of the basic theory of Chinese medicine in order to bring its advantages into play and benefit more tumor patients.