Remote TCM Conditioning of a Follicular Lymphoma Patient, He

This patient, a case of follicular lymphoma under my care since December 7, 2017, lives in Nanning. I have previously published part of her case (details in my June 10, 2019 article A Case Study of Pure TCM Treatment of Follicular Lymphoma in Patient He over One and a Half Years).

Over the past three-plus years she has remained continuously under my TCM care and was doing well. Half a year ago, however, her condition relapsed; I suggested trying a few chemotherapy cycles. After four local cycles she could not tolerate the side effects and had to abandon chemo, returning to pure TCM. Because of the pandemic I could not see her in person, so I used remote video consultations to condition her. I now write up her treatment over the past six months for readers' reference.

October 19, 2020 video consultation

Nanning recently about 30°C. Hair loss was severe after the second chemo. This period's menses were normal in amount, brown at the start and end, with clots. Chemotherapy starts Monday. Nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, hair loss, smell sensitivity, acid regurgitation; improved after returning home, but acid regurgitation persists—even water causes it. Sweating on the back of the head while eating and sleeping. A sticky mouth, as if phlegm were not fully expelled. The side effects of the first chemo were eased by the decoction. After the second chemo, fingertips were numb; on waking there was a little eye discharge. Constipated a few days ago. Tongue with teeth marks and enlarged body. Urine slightly yellow. Sleep was tolerable in hospital but poor after returning home last night. Still has night sweats; after drinking soup or porridge the back of the head sweats. The tumor has shrunk.

Decoction:

Renshen (Ginseng Radix) 6 g, Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) 6 g, Fuling (Poria) 6 g, Zhi Gancao (honey-fried Licorice) 6 g, Chenpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) 6 g, Fabanxia (processed Pinellia) 6 g, Wuzhuyu (Evodiae Fructus) 3 g, Huanglian (Coptidis Rhizoma) 3 g, Daizheshi (Haematitum) 6 g (wrapped), Xuanfuhua (Inulae Flos) 6 g (wrapped), Jiao Maiya (charred Hordei Fructus germinatus) 30 g, Jiao Shanzha (charred Crataegi Fructus) 6 g, Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix) 6 g, Fangfeng (Saposhnikoviae Radix) 6 g, Sheng Huangqi (Astragali Radix) 15 g.

3 doses, decocted in water; side effects lessened after taking.

November 1, 2020 video consultation

After the third chemo, whole-body aching, utter fatigue, dizziness, weakness, difficult bowel movements—black, dry, foul-smelling; pain somewhat relieved after heavy sweating. Night sweats both day and night; poor sleep. Appetite okay. Every day around 1 p.m. she is most exhausted, with fainting, cold sweats, abdominal pain, and nausea; must lie down and rests, after which it resolves on its own. Breast pain, a whole-body wrapping sensation, eye-socket pain, scalp pain, muscle pain. Urine yellow-green. Bitter mouth, dry lips. Dry tongue with a thick white coat. Can now sleep lying down, though she could not for a while. Much eye discharge on waking. No aversion to cold or wind; hands and feet neither cold nor hot. No fever. All labs normal except slightly elevated transaminases. Back pain on the right after pleural fluid drainage.

Decoction: Chai Ge Jieji Tang (Bupleurum and Pueraria Muscle-Resolving Decoction)

Chaihu 12 g, Gegen (Puerariae Radix) 9 g, Sheng Gancao 3 g, Huangqin 9 g, Qianghuo (Notopterygii Rhizoma) 6 g, Baizhi (Angelicae Dahuricae Radix) 6 g, Baishao (Paeoniae Alba Radix) 6 g, Jiegeng (Platycodi Radix) 6 g, Sheng Shigao (Gypsum fibrosum) 12 g (decoct first).

Two doses daily, each taken in two portions, every 2–3 hours.

On November 2, the patient reported poor effect and unbearable pain and asked for a formula change.

Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus) 9 g, Baishao 12 g, Zhi Gancao 6 g, Renshen 9 g, Hongzao (Jujubae Fructus) 6 pieces, Shengjiang (Zingiberis Rhizoma recens) 12 g, Fuling 30 g, Fabanxia 9 g, Houpo (Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex) 9 g, Xingren (Armeniacae Semen) 9 g, Tinglizi (Descurainiae/Lepidii Semen) 15 g.

After this, the situation gradually improved.

January 20, 2021 video consultation

After the fourth chemo, violent vomiting, numb fingers, body pain, back and abdominal pain, very weak, fainting when walking. Stool dry and hard; frequent and urgent urination. The first chemo helped; after the third and fourth the tumor was unchanged. Tumors are now mainly in the groin, pelvis, and bladder. Kidneys show calcifications. No fever or chills. Thin tongue with teeth marks. The patient begged to stop chemo and hoped for TCM treatment, giving up pursuit of survival time in hopes of a good quality of life.

I planned to condition her with a modified Shiquan Dabu Tang (Ten-Ingredient Great-Tonifying Decoction) plus various patent anticancer medicines.

Sheng Huangqi 30 g, Taizishen (Pseudostellariae Radix) 30 g, Baizhu 10 g, Fuling 10 g, Zhi Gancao 10 g, Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) 10 g, Baishao 30 g, Chuanxiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma) 10 g, Mudanpi (Moutan Cortex) 10 g, Shudi (Rehmanniae Radix praeparata) 10 g, Qianghuo 10 g, Duhuo (Angelicae Pubescentis Radix) 10 g, Shihu (Dendrobii Caulis) 15 g, Huangjing (Polygonati Rhizoma) 15 g, Yuzhu (Polygonati Odorati Rhizoma) 15 g, Shayuanzi (Astragali Complanati Semen) 10 g, Tusizi (Cuscutae Semen) 10 g, Mohanlian (Ecliptae Herba) 30 g, Nüzhenzi (Ligustri Lucidi Fructus) 15 g, Muxiang (Aucklandiae Radix) 10 g, Chao Zhizi (stir-fried Gardenia) 10 g, Huangqin 6 g, Jiao Maiya 30 g, Jiao Shanzha 10 g, Jiao Shenqu (charred Massa Medicata Fermentata) 10 g, Roucongrong (Cistanches Herba) 30 g.

Additionally, Xihuang Wan, plus pills made from the herb combinations listed in my article My Practical Experience in Using Multi-Target Broad-Spectrum Anticancer Chinese Herbal Compounds, with different pills taken on odd and even days. Four days on, one day off.

April 17, 2021 video consultation

The patient reported that in the first month after the previous prescription the tumor shrank rapidly, but recently it has stopped shrinking or growing and is stable. After the decoction, appetite and sleep were good, and whole-body pain did not recur. Urination and defecation normal; urine slightly yellow, clear after drinking much water. Gums slightly sore but no bleeding, no bad breath, lower back and legs slightly sore. Weight noticeably recovered; menses paused. She has returned to normal life, tutoring her child daily, and feels rather anxious about the child's studies.

The decoction was adjusted to:

Sheng Huangqi 30 g, Taizishen 30 g, Baizhu 6 g, Fuling 6 g, Danggui 6 g, Baishao 6 g, Chuanxiong 6 g, Mudanpi 6 g, Shudi 6 g, Huangjing 10 g, Yuzhu 10 g, Huaishanyao (Dioscoreae Rhizoma) 10 g, Yujin (Curcumae Radix) 6 g, Ezhu 6 g, Sanleng 6 g, Xianhecao (Agrimoniae Herba) 50 g, Pianjianghuang (Curcumae Longae Rhizoma) 6 g, Chan yi (Cicadae Periostracum) 6 g, Chao Jiangcan (stir-fried Bombyx Batryticatus) 10 g, Jiao Maiya 10 g, Jiao Shanzha 6 g, Yimucao (Leonuri Herba) 10 g, Haizao (Sargassum) 15 g, Kunbu (Eckloniae/Algae) 15 g, Xuanshen (Scrophulariae Radix) 12 g, Zhebeimu (Fritillariae Thunbergii Bulbus) 12 g, Duan Muli (calcined Ostreae Concha) 30 g (decoct first), Xiangfu (Cyperi Rhizoma) 10 g, Qingpi (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium viride) 6 g, Chenpi 6 g.

Patent medicines continued.

After adjusting the prescription, I chatted with the patient about family matters and offered some guidance on raising her child. She has had a good mindset since diagnosis. After diagnosis she consulted a familiar Western oncology chief physician in Nanning, who told her and her family that no matter what method she used, survival would likely not exceed three years, and conservative treatment would be relatively less painful. After hearing that, she insisted on TCM. Because she was young, I several times urged combined Chinese-Western treatment, but the chemo side effects were too severe and she had to give it up. The recent good response to Chinese medicine may well relate to the prior combined treatment.

The patient now lives normally and remains under treatment. I am also striving to explore better methods to extend her survival. Her tumor has shrunk several times—even in the earlier phase of pure Chinese medicine without Western chemo—but after shrinking it rebounded. Treating malignant lymphoma is no easy task; Chinese medicine also develops drug resistance, so one must keep adjusting the approach, and sometimes consider combined Chinese-Western treatment for better results.

Fighting cancer is also an arduous war. Many anticancer miracle stories sound effortless, but in the actual fight patients and doctors pay a heavy price. Anticancer treatment is a marathon; it requires solid trust and ample patience from both doctor and patient to finish the road.