How do Chinese oncologists think about the "prescriptions and prescriptions" for cancer treatment

 For thousands of years, there have been a lot of folk prescriptions, proven prescriptions, and strange prescriptions that have been spread word of mouth among the people in our country to treat intractable diseases. The so-called "recipe" refers to a single proven prescription, which refers to a prescription that does not have many flavors and has a unique effect on certain diseases and syndromes; "a proven prescription" is not a prescription in ancient medical books, but has not been proven, but has clinical efficacy. Usually folk prescriptions; the proven prescriptions are somewhat similar to the folk prescriptions. "Odd prescription" refers to a single medicine or a prescription with a singular medicine. There is a vast sea of ​​books on Chinese medicine prescriptions. Among them, there are many remedies, strange prescriptions, and proven prescriptions for the treatment of cancer. Are these prescriptions effective?

In clinical practice, patients often ask me about small remedies for cancer treatment such as red dates, iron leaves, barbats, and oldenlandia diffusa, which are popular on the Internet, or strange remedies such as the consumption of toad skin, or the use of traditional Chinese medicine Huang Yaozi The treatment of thyroid tumors and the treatment of advanced liver cancer with the traditional Chinese medicine Mubiezi may have certain effects, but after all, it cannot be generalized, and most of the outcomes are counterproductive. Why?
The first two prescriptions are both cold and cool. Although animal experiments have shown that they have anti-tumor effects, blindly clearing away heat and detoxification will damage the spleen and stomach over time. In the end, the tumor will not be removed, but it will damage the body's righteousness and make the body weaker. . The application of Huangyaozi and Mubiezi in a short time may reduce the tumor lesions, but without the guidance of the doctor, or long-term application, toxic and side effects such as liver damage may occur.
I once encountered a prostate cancer patient who took toad skin (not a Chinese medicine decoction provided by the hospital) by himself, and suffered from throat edema allergy. Fortunately, he was treated in a timely manner without serious consequences.
Why do cancer patients try home remedies, strange remedies, and proven remedies? The reasons are as follows: First, despite the development of science and technology, the survival period of cancer patients continues to extend, and cancer has become a chronic disease. However, cancer is still a major disease that has not been overcome and ranks second among various causes of death. Bit, the fear of death makes patients always dream of finding a panacea and avoiding a catastrophe.
Second, with the long-term troubles of the disease, when the conventional treatment does not have a particularly significant effect, once you hear the "remedies, odd prescriptions", you will easily become eager to try.
Third, Chinese medicinal materials are taken from nature’s treasure house. Natural Chinese herbal medicines have already emerged on the international stage due to their high efficiency and low toxicity. Especially in the treatment of tumors, Chinese medicine has become one of the multidisciplinary comprehensive treatment methods. , Its dominant position is becoming more and more obvious. The discovery of "remedies, strange prescriptions, and proven prescriptions" from Chinese medicine has become a life-saving straw for cancer patients.
TCM treatment is to judge the pathogenesis and syndromes by combining the four diagnoses of "seeing, smelling, asking, and cutting". If the patient does not pass the syndrome differentiation, does not consult a Chinese physician, and tries "recipes, odd prescriptions, and proven prescriptions" on their own, then some people will be effective when they eat it, some will not be effective when they eat it, and some will worsen if they eat it. In the jargon of Chinese medicine: "The prescription is wrong." In layman's terms, Chinese medicine treatment is "one key opens one lock" instead of "one key opens all locks". "Recipes, odd prescriptions, proven prescriptions" may make patients miss the opportunity to treat, and even cause disease aggravation.
What's more, some patients believe that dieting can cure cancer, which is even more surprising. Some people believe in the so-called "starved tumor" saying that by reducing the intake of high-sugar, high-protein foods to reduce the nutrition intake of tumor cells, they think that they can "starve cancer cells" and finally make them skinny.
(The deceased female teacher suffering from cancer) Yu Juan’s blog recorded in detail the process of Ms. Liu and Yu Juan rushing to Huangshan countryside to receive treatment accompanied by their family members. Another patient in Hefei, Anhui Province, Mr. Jin, also rushed there for treatment. Three people live in the farmhouse rented by Shen Yi Yang. According to Dr. Yang’s arrangement, the three of them could only take alkaline taro and grapes and three meals a day with Chinese medicine prepared by Dr. Yang. Among them, Ms. Liu was the first to vomit foam and cough up blood.
According to Yu Juan’s blog, it was actually that the stomachs of three people had been hurt by hunger. In mid-October 2010, Ms. Liu had already experienced tumor deterioration. On October 17, Ms. Liu was taken to the hospital by her family, and unfortunately passed away on October 21. Upon receiving the news of Ms. Liu's death, the remaining two patients and their families quickly left the village. Later, the two patients also died.
Since ancient times, traditional Chinese medicine has emphasized "recovering the positive and accumulating self-elimination". If the human body does not get balanced food and nutrition, it will only make the body's righteous qi further weaken and unable to fight against evil. Naturally, the condition will not get better.
However, we can't think that folk prescriptions and proven prescriptions are dross, and there must be gold shining in the middle. For example, the anti-tumor chemical drug Paclitaxel is extracted from Taxus chinensis, and Cinobufosin injection is the effective ingredient from toad. These drugs have achieved good effects in clinical applications. For some folk prescriptions and proven prescriptions that have proven curative effects, we look forward to further development and research to provide evidence-based medical evidence for them with clear suitable patients and suitable syndromes.
However, after all, folk remedies are folk remedies, including "gold" and "garbage", and some are even poisonous. Some people "hit the right road", while others "lost their lives". Because folk prescriptions and proven prescriptions come from the folks, the interpretation of TCM theories is incomplete, and they are often spread in the form of stories or spread in local families. They are legendary and may exaggerate the curative effect. Therefore, it is more necessary to discriminate and use it with caution when treating cancer treatments of folk remedies, strange remedies, and proven remedies.
Traditional prescriptions cannot be eaten casually. Even if it is the same disease, Chinese medicine has many types, and the treatment of each type is different with different medicines. The so-called "same disease but different treatment". Therefore, traditional Chinese medicine treatment is best under the guidance of Chinese physicians, according to clinical manifestations, cold and heat, deficiency and excess, etc., and choose appropriate prescriptions based on individual conditions, and regular follow-ups, and timely adjustment of prescriptions based on changes in symptoms .