Three Medical Cases: Shen Shaogong Treating Gynecological Tumors
The article I wrote earlier, "Outline of Professor Shen Shaogong's Thinking on Treating Malignant Tumors," has already introduced some of the basic approaches of Professor Shen Shaogong, a descendant of the Shen family gynecology school, in treating cancer. Today I continue to introduce some of his medical cases in treating cancer, so as to better learn Professor Shen's medication approach for cancer treatment.
Case 1: Breast cancer patient Wei
Wei, 45 years old, first visited Professor Shen Shaogong on March 7, 2003. In December 2002, the patient went to hospital after discovering a breast lump; examination showed a 1 cm x 1.4 cm hard mass in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast with poor mobility. Movable enlarged lymph nodes were palpable in the ipsilateral axilla. One month later, she underwent radical mastectomy; postoperative pathology diagnosed simple carcinoma of the breast, with right axillary lymph node metastasis 2/2, clinical stage T1N1M0. Postoperative radiotherapy was given 35 times, no chemotherapy. At the visit, she had dizziness and palpitations, hypochondriac distension and fullness, sore throat and sweating, irritability and susceptibility to anger, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, poor sleep, and fair appetite. Tongue was red with thin yellow coating; pulse wiry and fine; blood pressure 140/90 mmHg; heart rate 90 beats/min.
Professor Shen Shaogong's syndrome differentiation determined that Wei belonged to the pattern of water failing to nourish wood, liver depression and qi stagnation, of breast rock (ru yan). He planned treatment with his empirical formula "Zhen Jue Tang" combined with a modified Qi Ju Dihuang Tang.
Initial prescription: Gouqizi (Lycii Fructus) 10 g; Ye Juhua (wild Chrysanthemi Flos) 10 g; Shengdihuang (Rehmanniae Radix) 10 g; Huangjing (Polygonati Rhizoma) 10 g; Lingzhi (Ganoderma) 10 g; Shichangpu (Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma) 10 g; Yujin (Curcumae Radix) 10 g; Sheng Duzhong (raw Eucommiae Cortex) 10 g; Sangjisheng (Taxilli Herba) 10 g; Chuanniuxi (Cyathulae Radix) 10 g; Caojueming (Cassiae Semen) 30 g; Zhenzhumu (Margaritifera Concha) 30 g; Gegen (Puerariae Radix) 10 g; Xianhecao (Agrimoniae Herba) 10 g; Danshen (Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix) 30 g; Baihuasheshecao (Hedyotidis Herba) 30 g. One dose daily, decocted in water and taken in two divided doses.
After taking the medicine for 2 weeks, the patient's dizziness and palpitations improved, but still worsened in the afternoon; blood pressure dropped to 120/70 mmHg; appetite and sleep were fair; occasional lower back pain and hand swelling. Tongue red with thin white coating. Professor Shen considered the patient still had kidney deficiency and liver hyperactivity; he kept the same treatment principle and added Gouteng, Zexie, Shengmuli, and Baijuhua to anchor liver yang; added Lianqiao, Huanglian, and Rougui to clear heart fire; added Chuanxiong, Mudanpi, and Sheng Shanzha to resolve blood stasis; added Cheqiancao and Sheng Yiyiren to leach out damp toxin. The patient followed this approach with modifications for 2 years; blood pressure was stable, and appetite and sleep were both good.
Case 2: Ovarian cancer patient Sun
Sun, 49 years old, first visited on July 4, 2003, four months after ovarian cancer surgery. Sun initially went to a hospital after discovering a pelvic mass; examination found ascites, and adenocarcinoma cells were found in the ascites. During surgery, bilateral ovarian cancer masses were found, accompanied by widespread pelvic and abdominal metastasis; she underwent total hysterectomy, bilateral adnexectomy, omentectomy, appendectomy, and pelvic peritonectomy. Postoperative pathology diagnosed serous papillary adenocarcinoma, clinical stage IIIC. Seven courses of postoperative chemotherapy were given.
At the visit, the patient had lower abdominal discomfort with a feeling of distension and sinking, hard fullness, sore and painful lower back, easy sweating, poor appetite, loose stools. Tongue dark red with thin yellow coating; pulse deep and fine; complexion pale; spirit poor.
After syndrome differentiation, Professor Shen considered Sun belonged to the pattern of spleen-kidney dual deficiency with toxin lodged in the lower abdomen. He planned treatment with a modified Danggui Buxue Tang combined with Qi Ju Dihuang Tang.
Initial prescription: Gouqizi 10 g; Ye Juhua 10 g; Shengdi 10 g; Sheng Huangqi (raw Astragali Radix) 15 g; Danggui 10 g; Lingzhi 10 g; Huangjing 10 g; Sheng Duzhong 10 g; Sangjisheng 10 g; Xianhecao 10 g; Sheng Yiyiren (raw Coicis Semen) 10 g; Danshen 30 g; Baihuasheshecao 30 g; Jixueteng (Spatholobi Caulis) 10 g; Shenjincao (Lycopodii Herba) 10 g; Chuan Xuduan (Dipsaci Radix) 10 g. One dose daily, decocted in water and taken in two divided doses.
After taking the above formula for one month, Sun's lower abdominal discomfort, lower back pain, and sweating all improved; stool became normal. Tongue red with thin coating; pulse fine and rapid. Professor Shen considered Sun still had spleen-kidney dual deficiency, so he kept the principle and added Chao Baizhu, Fangfeng, and Xiyangshen (American ginseng) to boost qi, secure the exterior, and stop sweating; added Chuanlianzi, Yuanhu, and Sanqi powder to stop pain; added Huoxiang to transform summerheat dampness.
Sun followed the above approach with modifications according to symptoms, taking medicine for more than one year; symptoms basically disappeared, with only occasional lower back pain, and re-examination showed no recurrence.
Case 3: Cervical cancer patient Yu
Yu, 49 years old, three months after cervical cancer surgery, first visited Professor Shen Shaogong on March 28, 2003. Yu had previously gone to hospital for colposcopy biopsy due to irregular postmenopausal vaginal bleeding for one year; pathology showed well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. She was hospitalized for cervical cancer stage IIb, and underwent extensive total hysterectomy and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection that month, followed by routine radiotherapy. One month after treatment, re-examination CT showed enlarged bilateral inguinal lymph nodes; after discharge she sought TCM treatment. At the visit, she had whole abdominal distension, left-sided abdominal pain, pain in the limb joints, lower limb edema, and hard, numb, swollen skin that could not bend; occasional palpitations and dizziness; dry hard stool. Tongue dark red with stasis spots, thin yellow coating; pulse deep and rough.
After syndrome differentiation, Professor Shen considered the patient had the pattern of phlegm-stasis obstructing the collaterals and nutritive-defense disharmony. He planned treatment with the method of resolving phlegm and transforming stasis, harmonizing nutritive and defense, using a modified Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Tang.
Initial prescription: Sheng Huangqi (raw Astragali Radix) 10 g; Danggui 10 g; Guizhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus) 10 g; Baishao 10 g; Shichangpu 10 g; Yujin 10 g; Dilong (Pheretima) 10 g; Lulutong (Liquidambaris Fructus) 10 g; Sheng Yiyiren 10 g; Xianhecao 10 g; Danshen 30 g; Baihuasheshecao 30 g; Mudanpi 10 g; Sheng Muli 30 g; Xiakucao (Prunellae Spica) 10 g; Jixueteng 10 g; Shenjincao 10 g; Baijuhua (white Chrysanthemi Flos) 10 g. One dose daily, decocted in water and taken in two divided doses.
After taking the above formula for one month, the patient's abdominal distension, limb edema, and skin numbness improved; the lower limbs could bend slightly. The right inguinal pain, abdominal pain, and limb pain were all resolved; stool became smooth. Appetite was still poor. Tongue red with thin yellow coating; pulse deep and fine. Professor Shen considered that phlegm-stasis obstructing the collaterals still remained, with spleen-stomach deficiency and damage. He then used Xiangsha Liujunzi Tang combined with Danggui Buxue Tang to fortify the spleen and open the stomach, adding Sheng Yiyiren, Baihuasheshecao, and Gualou to resolve phlegm and reduce swelling; adding Danshen, Lulutong, and Dilong to resolve stasis and unblock the collaterals. After taking it for three consecutive months, the lower limb edema and skin numbness improved, but still worsened in the afternoon; the skin and muscles of the lower limbs became softer and redder; she could walk and go up and down stairs independently. Occasional abdominal distension and inguinal pain; appetite fair. Tongue pale red with thin yellow coating; pulse deep and fine. He then again modified Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Tang.
The patient followed the above approach for more than one year; the lymph nodes markedly shrank; the lower limbs were only slightly swollen in the afternoon; she had returned to work and continued outpatient treatment with Professor Shen Shaogong.
The cases treated by Professor Shen were basically all treated with integrated Chinese and Western medicine; before coming to Professor Shen, the patients had already undergone a series of Western treatments. Professor Shen Shaogong valued syndrome differentiation treatment, solving a series of problems brought by cancer and Western treatment, relieving patients' symptoms, alleviating their suffering, shrinking residual tumors in some patients, and also playing a certain role in preventing tumor recurrence.