Chinese Medicine for Colorectal Cancer

Chief Complaint: colorectal cancer
Western Diagnosis: colorectal cancer stage IV
Medical History: age – 55. female. was a smoker and alcohol abuser but quit both 15 years ago, diet includes little vegetable or fruit, high animal fats, high in refined foods, lots sweets, caffeine in form of coffee and also pop, little exercise.
Questioning exam: – blood in stool
- mucus in stool
- pencil stools
- irregular stool with cramping pain in lower abdomen
- night sweats
- poor sleep; wakes frequently to pee and thinking; hard to get back to sleep
Pulse exam: spleen sho – Japanese
moderate pulse – Chinese
doyo gone in all positions on right pulse
slight rapid
Hara: stomach reflex – very tight
spleen reflex area flaccid but hot and sticky
lung reflex both sides sticky
blood stasis reflex tender and tight
Tongue exam: pale body
coat is greasy white with yellow in rear
veins distended – +3
OM Diagnosis: zang du – CRC = organ toxin – stage 4 CRC
damp heat and blood stasis
underlying liver/kidney yin deficiency
Treatment Principle: transform damp heat toxin
stop bleeding
reduce pain with stop bleeding and blood regulating herbs
ameliroate conventional treatment side effects without undermining that treatment
extend life
improve quality of life
Point Prescription: Tianshu
Pishu
Shenshu
Taixi
Tanzhong
Zhongwan
Zusanli
Huangshu
Herbal Formula: huang qi 20gm
dang gui 12
dang shen 15
bai shao 10
hong teng 15
bai bian dou 15
bai hua she she cao 20
yi zhi ren 10
ban zhi lian 20
dan shen 15
gua lou ren 20
yi ren 15
mu xiang 10
hei da zao 5
Lifestyle Prescription: eliminate exposures which include dietary changes like low animal fat, nothing out of a box, no dairy, mostly vegetable – organic only – plus some complex carbohydrate
congees
pear
brassicas
depends on how things progress but right now these are doable
Results: patient lived for two more years with combined care
even with stage 4 CRC = mets to liver and peritoneum and outer bladder wall.
Lived comfortable and passed away comfortably.
Synopsis: Stage 4 cancers are difficult to treat for cure. However, time can be bought utilizing conventional cytotoxic therapies combined with Chinese medicine. Quality of life is greatly improved.