Case Study: Liu Bingfan's Combined Internal and External Treatment of Breast Cancer

Liu Bingfan was born in 1910 in Miluo, Hunan Province. He was a researcher of Chinese medicine who practiced for decades and was expert in internal, pediatric and gynecological Chinese medicine. He left a case record of treating a breast-cancer patient named Su.

Su, female, first visited on July 10, 1990, aged 40. She had had a lump in the left breast for over ten years, which had enlarged and become painful over the previous three months; she had had bloody discharge from the left nipple for over a month, accompanied by distending pain in the left chest and hypochondrium, dry and bitter mouth with a craving for drink, vexation, poor appetite, insomnia and dream-disturbed sleep. A provincial hospital had diagnosed 'left breast fibroadenoma and left breast cancer.' The patient declined surgery and came to Liu Bingfan for pure Chinese medicine treatment.

On the first visit, a lump of about 4 cm by 5 cm was found at the outer upper quadrant of the left breast, with ill-defined borders, un-ulcerated, poor mobility, tender on pressure; the nipple exuded a pale-red discharge. The tongue was pale red with thin white coating; the pulse was wiry and small. Dr. Liu diagnosed liver qi stagnation obstructing the meridians, which over time became a breast lump (ru pi). He decided on treatment to soothe the liver and move qi, and to resolve stasis and unblock the collaterals.

Prescription: Taizishen (Pseudostellariae Radix) 15 g, Shashen (Glehniae/Adenophorae Radix) 10 g, Danshen (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix) 15 g, Zhi Heshouwu (processed Polygoni Multiflori Radix) 15 g, Baishao (Paeoniae Alba Radix) 15 g, Pugongying (Taraxaci Herba) 20 g, Tubimu (Bolbostematis Rhizoma) 10 g, Chao Gualoup i (stir-fried Trichosanthis Pericarp) 5 g, Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix) 5 g, Shancigu (Cremastrae/Appendiculatae Pseudobulbus) 10 g, Shanhailuo (Codonopsis lanceolata) 12 g, Sheng Lujiao (deer antler, raw, ground and added separately) 5 g, Juhe (Citri Reticulatae Semen) 10 g, Sigualuo (Luffae Fructus Retinervus) 6 g, Maiya (Hordei Fructus Germinatus) 15 g.

Separately, Lujiao 30 g, Huangyaozi (Dioscoreae bulbiferae Rhizoma) 15 g, Shancigu 15 g and Tian Sanqi (Panacis Japonici Radix) 10 g were ground together into a juice for topical application to the local area.

After 24 doses, the patient returned. The left breast lump had shrunk from egg-sized to pea-sized, the bloody discharge had stopped, and there was occasional dull pain; appetite was good, menstruation came every 20 days with mild abdominal pain and clots. Tongue pale red with thin white coating; pulse wiry and small. The original formula, with Pugongying, Shanhailuo and Gualoupi removed, and adding Wulingzhi Tan (charred Trogopterori Faeces) 10 g, Puhuang Tan (charred Typhae Pollen) 10 g, Xiankecao (Agrimoniae Herba) 15 g and Sharen (Amomi Fructus) 5 g.

After another 14 doses, the breast lump was no longer obvious, though there was still occasional dull pain; menstruation came monthly with normal color and amount. Tongue pale red with thin white coating; pulse wiry and small.

Third-visit prescription: Mingdangshen (Changii Radix) 12 g, Shashen 10 g, Danshen 15 g, Heshouwu 20 g, Fabanxia 5 g, Guang Chenpi 5 g, Wulingzhi Tan 10 g, Puhuang Tan 10 g, Sheng Lujiao 10 g, Shancigu 5 g, Tubimu 10 g, Dongguazi (Benincasae Semen) 15 g, Sigualuo 5 g, Xiakucao (Prunellae Spica) 5 g, Gancao 5 g, Maiya 10 g, Juhe 10 g, Jineijin (Gigeriae Galli Endothelium Corneum) 4 g.

After a further 21 doses, the lump had completely disappeared. A follow-up one year after stopping the medicine found the patient well; the lump was just palpable, about pea-sized, only when emotions fluctuated, and disappeared after menstruation and when emotions settled.