Primary Lung Cancer
Primary bronchogenic carcinoma (commonly called lung cancer) is a malignant tumor that originates in the bronchial mucosa or glands. Early diagnosis of lung cancer is inadequate, and its prognosis is very poor. It is the malignant tumor with the highest incidence and mortality rates. With advances in diagnostic methods, the development of new chemotherapy drugs and targeted therapies, and the introduction of new treatment approaches, outcomes have improved through more systematic diagnosis and staging and multidisciplinary treatment based on the biological behavior of lung cancer. However, outcomes still depend on early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
TCM Pattern Differentiation and Treatment Reference
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Cough and shortness of breath, dry cough with little phlegm, tidal fever and night sweats, heat in the palms, soles, and chest, dry mouth and thirst, and hoarseness. The tongue is red with little coating, or small and thin with a thin coating; the pulse is thin and rapid.
In everyday terms:
- Cough and slightly shortness of breath
- Dry cough with little phlegm
- Episodes of fever in the afternoon or at night, with night sweats
- Heat in the palms, soles, and chest, with a feeling of restlessness and heat
- Dry mouth and thirst
- Hoarseness
- A red tongue with very little coating, or a small, thin tongue with a thin coating
- A thin, relatively rapid pulse (as noted during a clinician’s examination)
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Nourish yin and moisten the Lung; relieve cough and transform phlegm.
In everyday terms:
- Aim to nourish the body’s fluids and moisten the lungs, easing dry mouth and throat and a dry cough with little phlegm
- Aim to ease coughing and thin thick phlegm so it may be easier to cough up and breathing may feel more comfortable
|Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Prolonged cough with thin phlegm, chest tightness and shortness of breath, fatigue and lack of energy, abdominal distension and poor appetite, edema, and loose stools. The tongue is pale with a thin coating and tooth marks along the edges; the pulse is deep and thin.
In everyday terms:
- A lingering cough with relatively thin phlegm
- A tight feeling in the chest and slightly shortness of breath
- Easy fatigue and lack of energy
- Abdominal bloating and poor appetite
- Swelling of the body, often the lower limbs, that leaves an indentation when pressed
- Loose stools or diarrhea
- A pale tongue with a very thin coating and tooth marks along the edges
- A deep, thin pulse (as noted during a clinician’s examination)
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Strengthen the Spleen and supplement the Lung; boost qi and transform phlegm.
In everyday terms:
- Aim to support digestive function and the lungs, improve energy and appetite, and reduce the formation of “damp phlegm,” with the goal of easing fatigue, poor appetite, and abdominal bloating
- Aim to replenish qi and thin thick phlegm so it may be easier to cough up, and to ease coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath
|Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Cough and shortness of breath that do not feel relieved, rapid breathing and chest tightness, stabbing or distending chest pain, a painful mass that is tender to pressure, and dusky lips. The tongue is purplish or dark, or has spots of blood stasis; the coating is thin; the pulse is wiry or choppy.
In everyday terms:
- Cough and shortness of breath, with a feeling of breathlessness or difficulty breathing comfortably
- A tight feeling in the chest when breathing feels restricted
- Stabbing or distending chest pain
- A firm, lump-like area may be felt in the chest or upper abdomen; it may hurt more when pressed
- Dusky lips that appear pale or lacking in color
- A purplish or dark tongue, sometimes with small purple spots; the tongue coating is thin
- A pulse that feels tense or uneven (as noted during a clinician’s examination)
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Promote qi circulation and blood flow; resolve stasis and toxins.
In everyday terms:
- Aim to promote the flow of qi and blood and ease feelings of distension, tightness, stabbing pain, and purplish discoloration, supporting recovery in the affected area
- Aim to address blood stasis and clear inflammation and harmful substances, easing redness, swelling, heat, pain, and concerns about lumps
|Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Prolonged cough with thin phlegm, chest tightness and shortness of breath, fatigue and lack of energy, abdominal distension and poor appetite, edema, and loose stools. The tongue is pale with a thin coating and tooth marks along the edges; the pulse is deep and thin.
In everyday terms:
- A lingering cough with relatively thin phlegm
- A tight feeling in the chest and slightly shortness of breath
- Easy fatigue and lack of energy
- Abdominal bloating and poor appetite
- Swelling of the body, often the lower limbs, that leaves an indentation when pressed
- Loose stools or diarrhea
- A pale tongue with a very thin coating and tooth marks along the edges
- A deep, thin pulse (as noted during a clinician’s examination)
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Clear heat and transform phlegm; dispel dampness and resolve masses.
In everyday terms:
- Aim to reduce heat and inflammation and loosen thick phlegm so it may become thinner and easier to cough up, easing coughing and chest tightness
- Aim to address excess “dampness” in the body and help disperse lumps and swelling, easing tenderness and a feeling of blockage
- Aim to reduce heat and inflammation and loosen thick phlegm so it may be easier to cough up, easing coughing and chest tightness
- Aim to address excess “dampness” in the body and help disperse lumps or nodules, easing distending pain and a feeling of blockage
|Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist.
|Common Symptoms
Clinical description:
Cough with or without phlegm, fatigue and lack of energy, sweating and shortness of breath, dry mouth and feeling feverish, afternoon tidal fever, heat in the palms and soles, and occasional palpitations. The tongue is red with a thin coating, or enlarged with tooth marks; the pulse is thin.
In everyday terms:
- Cough, with or without phlegm
- Easy fatigue and lack of energy
- Easy sweating and slightly shortness of breath
- Dry mouth and feeling feverish
- Episodes of fever in the afternoon
- Heat in the palms and soles
- Occasional palpitations
- A reddish tongue with a thin coating, or an enlarged-looking tongue with tooth marks along the edges
- A thin pulse (as noted during a clinician’s examination)
|Treatment Approach
Clinical description:
Boost qi and nourish yin.
In everyday terms:
- Aim to support energy and stamina and ease fatigue, shortness of breath, and feeling easily tired
- Aim to nourish the body’s fluids and ease discomfort associated with “deficiency heat,” such as dry mouth and throat, night sweats, restlessness, and afternoon tidal fever
|Related Products
The products below are provided for informational reference only and do not constitute medical advice or a prescription. Follow the product packaging and instructions, and use under the guidance of a doctor or pharmacist.
References
- Tang Zhaoyou. Modern Oncology [M]. 3rd ed. Shanghai: Fudan University Press, 2011.
- Wanqing Chen, Rongshou Zheng, Peter D. Baade, et al. Cancer statistics in China. 2015[J]. CA CANCER J CLIN, 2016, 66: 115-132.