Study of 160 breast cancer patients with distant metastasis after operation by way of TCM syndromes classification

Objective: To discuss the relationship between the postoperative breast cancer with distant metastasis and the TCM syndromes classification. Methods: 160 postoperative 5-year breast cancer patients from 1995 to 2000 were tracked, summed up and analysized TCM syndromes as stagnation of hepatic qi, deficiency of spleen and pathogenic phlegm reten- tion, blood stasis and toxin stagnation, deficiencies of both blood and qi. Results: (1) For blood stasis and toxin stagnation TCM syndrome, the metastatic rate raised to 45% during 5 years. However, the metastatic rates of other three TCM syn- dromes are 15%, 17.5% and 22.5% respectively. The general distant metastasis rate was 27.5% (P<0.01). (2) Lymph node metastasis, tumor size, Her-2 and its receptor have no obvious relation with TCM syndromes classification (P>0.05). Conclu- sion: (1) TCM syndrome classification has close relation with breast cancer distant metastasis. Distant metastasis have close relationship with blood stasis and toxin stagnation syndrome. (2) Lymph node metastasis, tumor size, Her-2 and its receptor have no obvious relation with TCM syndromes classification, which suggested that metastatic ability has been programmed in the early stage of carcinoma initiation. (3) Significantly enlightening for predict the prognosis under the guide of TCM syn- drome classification and take right therapeutic strategy: attack pathogen and activate blood circulation against cancer.