Professor Liu Jiaxiang's "Yifei Xiaoji Decoction" for Lung Cancer
Professor Liu Jiaxiang is a well-known TCM anti-cancer expert in Shanghai. He has an empirical formula for treating lung cancer called "Yifei Xiaoji Tang" (Lung-Benefiting and Mass-Resolving Decoction). The composition is: Sheng Huangqi (raw Radix Astragali) 30 g, Sheng Baizhu (raw Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae) 12 g, Bei Shashen (Radix Glehniae) 30 g, Tiandong (Radix Asparagi) 12 g, Shishangbo (Herba Selaginellae Doederleinii), Shijianchuan (Herba Salviae Chinensis), Baihuasheshecao (Herba Hedyotis Diffusae) each 30 g, Yinhua (Flos Lonicerae), Shandougen (Radix Sophorae Tonkinensis), Xiakucao (Spica Prunellae), Haizao (Sargassum) each 15 g, Kunbu (Thallus Eckloniae) 12 g, Sheng Nanxing (raw Rhizoma Arisaematis) 30 g, Gualoupi (Pericarpium Trichosanthis) 15 g, Sheng Muli (raw Concha Ostreae) 30 g. Decoct in water; one dose daily, taken twice a day; three months as one course.
Professor Liu Jiaxiang's empirical formula is for primary advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (squamous-cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, etc.). The functions of Yifei Xiaoji Tang are to boost qi and nourish yin, clear heat and detoxify, soften hard masses and resolve phlegm. If there is yin deficiency, remove Huangqi and Baizhu and add Nan Shashen (Radix Adenophorae), Maidong (Radix Ophiopogonis), Yuanshen (Radix Scrophulariae), Baihe (Bulbus Lilii) and Shengdi (Radix Rehmanniae). If there is qi deficiency, remove Bei Shashen and Tiandong and add Dangshen (Radix Codonopsis), Renshen (Radix Ginseng) and Fuling (Poria). For kidney-yang deficiency, add Buguzhi (Fructus Psoraleae), Xianlingpi (Herba Epimedii), Tusizi (Semen Cuscutae), Roucongrong (Herba Cistanches) and Suoyang (Herba Cynomorii).
I recently saw a patient with adenocarcinoma of the lung that had recurred after surgery; genetic testing showed no mutation, so no targeted drug was available, and the patient could not tolerate chemotherapy because its side effects were severe. The patient therefore finally decided to give up chemotherapy and seek treatment from a certain TCM doctor. After taking the Chinese herbs that TCM doctor prescribed, her tumor markers rose rather than fell. Helpless, she gave up that TCM doctor and began taking Professor Liu Jiaxiang's empirical formula on her own. After taking it for several months, the tumor markers actually dropped, and continued to trend downward, showing that this formula was effective for her personally. That a TCM treatment can be judged by Western medical test results shows that this treatment can stand up to modern scientific testing.
Professor Liu Jiaxiang's formula has a very balanced composition. For lung-cancer patients with qi deficiency plus yin deficiency, it addresses both the branch and the root, so it is a formula that combines pattern-based treatment (bian zheng) with disease-based treatment (bing zhi). The main idea of this formula is clearing heat and detoxifying, so it is suitable for lung-cancer patients of the heat-toxin type. The Sheng Nanxing in this formula is relatively hard to buy in pharmacies; I suspect most patients who fill prescriptions at pharmacies can only get processed Tiannanxing. But Professor Wang Pei in Beijing and Professor Liu Jiaxiang in Shanghai both prefer to use raw, rather than processed, Banxia and Tiannanxing of the Araceae family when treating cancer. For cancer patients, the raw forms of these herbs may work better, better exerting their effect of "using poison to attack poison."
It is worth mentioning that many cancer patients now fear heat-clearing and detoxifying herbs like tigers and talk only about supporting yang. Most of these patients who know one thing but not the other are relatively obsessive by personality. There are by no means few cancer patients who respond well to heat-clearing and detoxifying formulas; there is no need at all to insist on supporting yang. Not long ago I came across an ovarian-cancer patient who was very unhappy with me because I had recommended Xihuang Wan, a formula she regarded as a heat-clearing and detoxifying remedy, and even attacked me personally—this patient probably has bipolar disorder, and her aggressive behavior was involuntary.
She had previously assumed that I highly endorsed the yang-supporting approach of the veteran TCM doctor Li Ke, and said she could see me echoing Li Ke from afar. To be honest, I almost never mention Li Ke in my writing. So in the world there are yang-supporting TCM doctors, and also yang-supporting patients; some patients insist on taking yang-supporting medicines and will not listen to others. For such patients, empirical formulas like Professor Liu Jiaxiang's are very hard for them to accept.
Because the Sheng Nanxing in this formula is quite toxic, when decocting the herbs it should be simmered separately for about an extra half hour. In addition, patients taking this formula should have their liver and kidney function checked regularly; if liver or kidney function is impaired, they should stop taking it promptly.