Experience Analysis of Contemporary TCM Breast Cancer Experts in Treating Complications due to Breast Cancer Surgery

OBJECTIVE To summarize and count the medical records of contemporary breast cancer experts in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treating complications due to breast cancer surgery， radiotherapy or chemotherapy， as well as analyze their medication rules. METHODS Through searching Traditional Chinese Medicine Oncology and other professional works on CNKI， Wanfang and VIP， the relevant cases that meet the inclusion criteria were found to extract information and analyze prescription drugs， syndrome differentiation， efficacy and other information. RESULTS Complications due to breast cancer surgery is deficiency in general and partly excess. Thus， the therapeutic principle was reinforcing healthy qi and dispelling pathogen， along with reinforcing healthy qi and eliminating pathogenic factors. The more frequently prescribed drugs were characterized by tonics supplemented with dissolving stasis and nourishing yin. As for the upper limbs swollen with qi and blood stasis as the main syndrome， it was often treated with activating blood， remove blood stasis and dredging collaterals， such as prescribing Taohong Siwu Decoction. If accompanied by dampness-heat stasis， heat-clearing and blood-activating would be the therapeutic methods， and modified Simiao Yongan decoction could be given. As to the radiation pneumonia with qi and yin deficiency， the patients would treated with nourishing yin， clearing the lungs， and moisturizing dryness， and prescriptions like Zengye decoction， or Nourishing Yin and Clearing Lung decoction were given. With regards to the digestive tract reactions with gastric deficiency and phlegm-qi adversity as the main syndrome， the therapeutic methods were regulating stomach and ascending qi， the prescription was Jupi Zhuru decoction or Xuanfu Daizhe decoction. When it came to myelosuppression with qi and blood deficiency as the main syndrome， the common treatments were to replenish qi and nourish blood with Renshen Yangrong decoction or Buzhong Yiqi decoction. For endocrine disorders with liver and kidney yin deficiency， the treatment was Liuwei Dihuang pills to nourish liver and kidney. If it was accompanied by mental dystrophy， Ganmai Dazao decoction and Qinggu powder were prescribed to nourish the heart and calm the mind. If it was accompanied by tumor metastasis， the prescription was Xianfang Huxing drink and Yanghe decoction to eliminate pathogenic factors and attack toxic substances. CONCLUSION The symptoms of complications due to breast cancer surgery， radiotherapy， or chemotherapy are complex and changeable. It is of great significance to grasp the evolution of symptoms and characteristics of prescriptions to take advantage of TCM treatment in this field.