A Study On The Distribution Of TCM Constitutions/Symptoms In Lung Cancer In Taiwan And Its Correlation With TNM Stages

Objective:1. To explore the correlation between the lung cancer and TCM constitution;2. To explore the factors influencing the distribution of TCM symptoms; To investigate the correlation between TCM constitutions/symptoms and the TNM stages for lung cancer. This thesis is aimed to establish a theoretical frame for clinical analysis of TCM constitutions/symptoms in patients with lung cancer.Methodology:113eligible patients with lung cancer were stratified according to TCM constitutions, TCM symptoms, and the TNM stages for lung cancer. The statistical data derived from SPSS software were also cross-compared to identify the internal correlation.Result:1. Distribution of TNM stagesStage I:3patients (2%); Stage II:12patients (11%); Stage Ⅲ:43patients (38%); Stage IV:55patients (49%)2. Distribution of TCM constitutionsQi Deficiency constitution:36patients (32%)> Yin Deficiency constitution:19patients (17%)> Yang Deficiency constitution:16patients (13%)> Qi depression constitution:12patients (11%)> Phlegm-dampness constitution:10patients (9%)> yin-yang harmony constitution:8patients (7%)> Blood stasis constitution:7patients (6%)> Dampness-heat constitution:3patients (3%)> allergic constitution:2patients (2%).3. Distribution of TCM symptomsDeficiency of qi and phlegm and dampness syndrome:16patients (14%); deficiency of yin and excessive heat syndrome:28patients (25%); Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome:22patients (19%); Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome:47patients (42%).4. Correlation between TCM constitutions and TNM stages in patients with lung cancerStage Ⅰ:Yin Deficiency constitution (33.3%) and Phlegm-dampness constitution (33.3%); Stage Ⅱ:Qi Deficiency constitution (25%), followed by Phlegm-dampness constitution (15.4%), Blood stasis constitution (15.4%), and Qi depression constitution (15.4%); Stage III:Qi Deficiency constitution (25.6%), followed by Yin Deficiency constitution (18.6%), Yang Deficiency constitution (14%), and Qi depression constitution (11.6%); Stage IV:Qi Deficiency constitution (40%), followed by Yang Deficiency constitution (18.2%), Yin Deficiency constitution (16.4%), and Qi depression constitution (9.1%).5. Correlation between TCM symptoms and TNM stages in patients with lung cancer Stages I and II:Deficiency of qi and phlegm and dampness syndrome, followed by Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome; Stage III:Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome and deficiency of yin and excessive heat syndrome, followed by Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome; Stage IV: Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome, followed by deficiency of yin and excessive heat syndrome and Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome.6. Correlation between TCM constitutions and TCM symptoms in patients with lung cancerTCM constitutions and TCM symptoms are correlated in all parameters other than yin-yang harmony constitution, Dampness-heat constitution, and allergic constitution.Conclusion:1. A majority of patients with lung cancer presented with advanced stages, i.e. a total of98patients in Stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ (87%).2. A majority of patients with lung cancer presented with Qi Deficiency constitution (1/3,32%); Qi Deficiency constitution, Yin Deficiency constitution, and Yang Deficiency constitution (2/3); Qi Deficiency constitution, Phlegm-dampness constitution, Blood stasis constitution, and Dampness-heat constitution (29%).3. Most common TCM symptoms in patients with lung cancer include (in the descending order):Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome (42%)> deficiency of yin and excessive heat syndrome (25%)> Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome (19%)>(Deficiency of qi and phlegm and dampness syndrome)(14%).4. Stages and TCM constitutions(1) Stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ:Dominant in Yin Deficiency constitution, and Qi Deficiency constitution, followed by excessive pathogen constitution.(2) Stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ:Dominant in Qi Deficiency constitution, Yang Deficiency constitution, and Yin Deficiency constitution, the proportion of which increased with disease severity (stages) while the proportion of excessive pathogen constitutions decreased.(3) Stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ:Qi depression constitution constituted a majority of excessive pathogen constitution.5. Stages and TCM symptoms(1) Stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ:Dominant in Deficiency of qi and phlegm and dampness syndrome(2) Stages Ⅲ and Ⅳ:Dominant in Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome(3) Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome was observed across all the stages, with a higher proportion in Stages Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ.6. TCM constitutions and TCM symptomsYin-yang harmony constitution, Dampness-heat constitution and allergic constitution was not correlated to TCM symptoms while Qi Deficiency constitution and Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome, Yang Deficiency constitution and Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome, Yin Deficiency constitution and deficiency of yin and excessive heat syndrome, Phlegm-dampness constitution and Deficiency of qi and phlegm and dampness syndrome, Blood stasis constitution and Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome, Qi depression constitution and Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome were correlated.