Two Cases of Esophageal Cancer Cured

Two Cases of Esophageal Cancer Cured

Case 1: In the autumn of 1984 (Jiazi year), Mr. Xu, a 50-year-old man, presented with abdominal distension and difficulty swallowing for over a month. A barium meal and gastroscopy confirmed mid-esophageal adenocarcinoma. Given the patient’s financial difficulties, he requested TCM treatment and returned home to recuperate. Upon examination, his tongue was red, coated with thick, greasy yellow substance, his pulse was weak in the little finger region, and his pulse in the wrist was tense. The formula used was Liuwei Dihuang He Banxia Xie Xin: 12g of rehmannia root, 10g of cornelian cherry, 10g of Chinese yam, 6g of peony root, 10g of poria, 10g of alisma, 6g of coptis root, 10g of scutellaria root, 6g of pinellia, 6g of dried ginger, 15g of codonopsis, 10g of salvia miltiorrhiza, 3g of wood fragrance, 3g of grass cardamom, 30g of astragalus, 3g of prepared milk vetch, 10g of pangolin scales, 6g of soapberry thorns—all brewed in water, yielding 800ml of liquid, divided into four doses to be taken over two days (twice daily, 200ml each time, taken after breakfast and dinner). In the spring of 1997 (Dichou year), the patient returned for a follow-up visit, reporting that he had continued to take the formula for over 300 doses, with noticeable improvements. He currently had no symptoms whatsoever. His complexion was rosy, his physical condition was robust, and he no longer experienced difficulty swallowing or abdominal discomfort. Barium meal fluoroscopy showed no positive findings, and gastroscopy revealed no abnormalities in the mid-esophagus—only chronic superficial gastritis and atrophic gastritis. The cure of this case was truly remarkable. The patient even pasted the original formula onto cardboard, which had worn out over time, leaving faint traces of the writing visible. When asked how he had been able to stick with the medication for so many years, he replied that after taking the formula for just over 10 doses, he noticed that his appetite improved slightly. Since there was no other option, he simply devoted himself to taking the medicine. After one year, his condition had significantly improved, and his confidence grew, allowing him to continue until today.

Analysis: This formula combined Liuwei Dihuang Decoction, Banxia Xie Xin Decoction, Banxia Houpu Decoction, and Tuoli Tou Suan Powder. Liuwei Dihuang Decoction strengthens the body’s fundamentals, Banxia Xie Xin and Banxia Houpu Decoction clear heat and dry dampness, promote qi flow and relax the middle burner, while Tuoli Tou Suan Powder softens hard tissue, promotes blood circulation, and supports the body’s fundamentals while clearing stagnation. Together, these formulas worked synergistically to treat cancer—long-term adherence to the treatment yielded remarkable results.

Case 2: In February 2000 (Gengchen year), Mr. Zhang, a 56-year-old man, presented with difficulty swallowing for over three months, accompanied by abdominal distension. A barium meal and gastroscopy confirmed upper esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, along with atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia, as well as a positive Helicobacter pylori test. He had undergone 20 radiation treatments, totaling 6000 mg, and his swallowing had improved somewhat compared to before—he could only consume milk and tea. However, his abdominal distension had worsened.

He came to see me seeking treatment. His tongue was red, coated with thick, greasy yellow substance, and his pulse was deep, tense, and rapid. In addition to the above symptoms, he also experienced constipation and dark, painful urination. The formula used was Dachengqi Decoction combined with Sanhuang Xie Xin Decoction and Qidi San, modified with additional ingredients: 10g of rhubarb, 3g of coptis root, 10g of astragalus, 10g of citrus aurantium, 10g of poria, 10g of magnolia bark, 10g of poria, 6g of turmeric, 10g of salvia miltiorrhiza, 10g of peony root, 10g of wood fragrance, 10g of Zhejiang bellflower, 6g of amomum villosum, 20g of crushed rice bran, 10g of lotus leaf stalks—all brewed in water and taken as a decoction. After 10 doses, his swallowing became noticeably smoother, he was able to eat noodles, chew bread and biscuits, his bowel movements were regular, his urination cleared, his abdominal distension improved significantly, and his yellow, greasy tongue coating also became thinner than before. The formula was modified by removing magnolia bark and adding 12g of rehmannia root, 10g of cornelian cherry, 10g of Chinese yam, 10g of alisma, all brewed in water and taken daily. After 10 doses, his symptoms further improved—his abdominal distension disappeared, his tongue was red, his tongue coating thin and slightly yellow. The formula was again modified to combine Liuwei Dihuang Decoction, Sanhuang Xie Xin Decoction, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Decoction, and Qidi San: 6g of rhubarb, 3g of coptis root, 10g of astragalus, 6g of dried ginger, 6g of pinellia, 10g of salvia miltiorrhiza, 6g of wood fragrance, 6g of amomum villosum, 12g of rehmannia root, 10g of cornelian cherry, 10g of Chinese yam, 10g of peony root, 10g of poria, 10g of alisma, 6g of turmeric, 10g of Zhejiang bellflower, 10g of lotus leaf stalks, 20g of glutinous rice—all brewed in water and taken daily, with long-term adherence to the treatment. In March 2001 (Xin Si year), the patient returned for a follow-up visit, reporting that he had taken the formula for over 90 doses, and all symptoms had completely disappeared. Local barium meal and gastroscopy showed no lesions. The patient was instructed to continue taking the same amount of the formula, grinding it into a fine powder, mixing it with honey to form pills, 6g per pill, taken three times daily, 1 pill each time, diluted with warm water after meals to support long-term efficacy.

Analysis: The cure of this case was also remarkable—Sanhuang and Chengqi were both symptomatic treatments, while Liuwei Dihuang, Qidi San, and Salvia Miltiorrhiza Decoction combined to address the root cause. Based on the effectiveness of radiation therapy, the use of TCM achieved therapeutic effects that were beyond what radiation therapy alone could accomplish. Although this case was cured, it only took a little over a year, so continued observation of long-term efficacy is still recommended.

After more than 40 years of medical practice, I have treated hundreds of patients with esophageal cancer—some received TCM treatment before and after surgery, others took TCM in conjunction with chemotherapy or radiation therapy, while many patients solely relied on TCM. Though TCM is based on syndrome differentiation and individualized treatment plans, the formulas used often included Banxia Houpu Decoction, Liuwei Dihuang Decoction, Qidi San, Sanhuang Xie Xin Decoction, Banxia Xie Xin Decoction, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Decoction, and similar formulas. TCM has proven effective for most cases, especially in extending survival for surgical patients and reducing side effects for patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The two cases mentioned above are among the best examples of TCM treatment, and I am sharing them here to benefit others.

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