Exploring the Idea of Chinese Medicine Treatment for Pulmonary Nodule Based on the Theory of Compound Pathogenesis

Pulmonary nodule is one of the common diseases in clinical practice. According to the theory of compound pathogenesis by Professor Zhou Zhong-ying, a master of Chinese medicine, he believes that deficiency, depression, phlegm, and stasis are the basic causes of pulmonary nodules. Besides, heat obstruction caused by phlegm and stasis, combined with collateral damage caused by toxin accumulation are the key factors for the canceration of pulmonary nodule. In addition, Professor Zhou also discusses the basic ideas of compound formulae based on the theory of compound pathogenesis from four aspects: differentiation of the five organs to consider multiple organs, differentiation of concurrent syndromes to combine various methods, differentiation of the root and symptoms to eliminate the pathogenic factors, and differentiation of the prognosis to avoid the disease deterioration, which provide reference for the differentiation and treatment of pulmonary nodules in Chinese medicine and the related formula prescription.