Lei Yongzhong's Experience in Integrated Chinese-Western Treatment of Gastric Cancer
Lei Yongzhong was a renowned TCM physician in China and the founder of the oncology department at Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. A famous TCM oncology specialist, he made pioneering contributions to the integrated Chinese-Western treatment of tumors. Professor Lei founded the oncology department at Shuguang Hospital in the 1950s and, through a large number of cases at Shuguang, summarized a systematic approach to treating gastric cancer.
He held that gastric cancer falls under TCM categories such as ge syndrome, stomachache, regurgitation, hematochezia, hematemesis and zheng-ji (abdominal mass). Its main pathogenesis is food accumulation, qi stagnation, blood stasis, flaming fire and phlegm concretion accumulating over time into a mass. Treatment should therefore focus on digesting food and dispelling stagnation, moving qi and dissipating nodules, activating blood and resolving stasis, and softening hardness and scattering masses, assisted by spleen-strengthening and astringing.
Through years of clinical practice and summary, Professor Lei formulated a base formula for gastric cancer along with modifications according to symptoms. In the base formula: Chao Shan Zha (fried Crataegi Fructus), Shen Qu (medicated leaven), Chao Mai Ya (fried Hordei Fructus germinatus), Ji Nei Jin (Gigeriae galli endothelium corneum) and Duan Wa Leng Zi (calcined Arcae Concha) digest food and dispel stagnation; Chen Pi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium), Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix), Zhi Qiao (Aurantii Fructus), Chuan Lian Zi (Toosendan Fructus) and Yan Hu Suo (Corydalidis Rhizoma) move qi and dissipate nodules; Dan Shen (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix), Tao Ren (Persicae Semen) and Chi Shao (Paeoniae Radix rubra) activate blood and resolve stasis; Hai Zao (Eckloniae/ Sargassum), Mu Li (Ostreae Concha) and Xia Ku Cao (Spicae Prunellae Spica) soften hardness and scatter nodules; Dang Shen (Codonopsis Radix), Huang Qi (Astragali Radix) and Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix) strengthen the spleen and harmonize the stomach; Pu Huang (Typhae Pollen), Bai Shao (Paeoniae Radix alba), Xian He Cao (Agrimoniae Herba) and Bai Ji (Bletillae Rhizoma) stop bleeding and astringe.
Judging from the composition of Professor Lei's base formula, his therapeutic approach combined pattern differentiation with disease differentiation, supporting healthy qi with dispelling pathogens, and activating blood with cooling blood to stop bleeding. It included herbs targeting both common symptoms of gastric cancer and its cause and pathogenesis.
Some viewpoints hold that blood-activating and hemostatic herbs should not be used together. Professor Lei disagreed. He noted that advanced gastric cancer patients often present with sallow complexion, fatigue, recurrent melena and hematemesis; although qi-supplementing and blood-nourishing herbs such as Dang Shen, Huang Qi and Shu Di Huang are used, the effect is slow.
Professor Lei held this was because the patient had chronic gastric bleeding. Therefore, while using blood-activating herbs, he intensified hemostasis: besides Pu Huang, Bai Shao, Xian He Cao and Bai Ji, he often added Huai Hua (Sophorae Flos), Di Yu (Sanguisorbae Radix), Guan Zhong (Dryopteridis Rhizoma), Ou Jie (Nelumbinis Nodus rhizomatis), Da Ji (Cirsii Japonici Herba) and Xiao Ji (Cirsii Herba) to strengthen hemostasis. By stopping bleeding to resolve the patient's progressive bleeding, he achieved a better effect than simply nourishing blood.
Professor Lei Yongzhong's approach played an important role in using TCM to assist Western treatment of gastric cancer. His regimen fully brought TCM advantages into play and compensated for Western medicine's deficiencies, while he valued integration: alongside TCM treatment he also adopted comprehensive Western plans, adopting the strengths of Western medicine. This is well worth our learning.