Primary hepatocarcinoma is similar to the terms of “Huangdan” (Jaundice), "Guzhang" (tympanites), "Jiju" (abdominal mass), "Zhengjia" (abdominal mass), etc. in classic works of traditional Chinese medicine. During diagnosis and treatment, the Principles of replenishing the spleen-Qi, nourishing liver-Yin and the kidney-yin should be considered at any time.

Hepatocarcinoma is a malignant disease in clinic. The life span of liver cancer patients is about 3-6 months. In 1960s, the surviving rate of liver-cancer patients in 5 years is nearly zero, till the fare period of 1980s; the surviving be is about 5%. In the early stage of development of liver cancer, the effect of surgical operation is best. Nowadays, about 90% of the live-cancer patients belong to those at the medium and late stages when the diagnosis is made clearly and definitely, and the operation is not suitable any more. Under such circumstances, most patients are treated with Chinese medicinal herbs or with palliative treatment in combination with traditional Chinese medicine.

It was reported that in 567 patinas with liver cancer at the medium and late stages, 1, 3 and 5 years after treatment with pure Chinese medicinal herbs, the surviving rates were 27.3-50.0%, 8.2-27.2% and 3.3-4.5% respectively. In another study, it was demonstrated that l, 3 and 5 years after, treatment with radiotherapy and Chinese medicinal herbs, the surviving rates of liver cancer patients were 59.0%, 34.85%, 25.4% separately.

Another study showed that in 154 liver cancer patients treated with Chinese medicinal herb infusion therapy the tumor size decreased by 56.0-61.9% after treatment. In regard to the therapeutic principles of hepatocarcinoma additional Chinese medicine has the greatest esteem for combination of disease treatment (selecting drugs for directly countering the liver cancer from beginning to the end) and syndrome treatment (composing the recipe according to differentiation of syndromes) and for combination of local treatment and general treatment. In treatment of liver cancer at the late stage, TCM adopts the principles of protecting the liver and inhibiting the cancer, and lays stress on strengthening the spleen to replenish Qi, and nourishing the liver and kidney from the viewpoint of whole body. In the local area, TCM adopts drug-introducing therapy by introducing the effective components of some Chinese medicine herbs as hydroxycamptothecine, Elemene, "Kanglaite" (a Chinese drug), cinobufotalin, Brucea javanica lactotoxin, Radix Sophorae Flavescentis, etc. into the patients' body, the liver cancer can be inhibited effectively. In this way the side effect of introducing therapy on liver injury is reduced. Although, Chinese medicinal herbs for reducing cancer mass is not so ideal, they can relieve patients' clinical symptoms and signs, raise life quality, prolong life span and stabilize the cancer size.

By Zhou Daiyu & Guangzhou