AB21. Discussion on TCM treatment ideas of gastric cancer related anemia

Purpose: To confirm the influence of gastric cancer related anemia on patients’ quality of life, treatment efficacy and survival. And to investigate the key pathogenesis of gastric cancer related anemia, as well as principles, syndrome differentiation methods, formulas and herbs of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in treating gastric cancer related anemia.

Methods: Literature study was carried out to explore the TCM key pathogenesis, syndrome differentiation, treatment principle and prescribed formulas and herbs of gastric cancer related anemia. Also, experience according to long-term clinical practice was taken into account in this discussion.

Results: Anemia occurred in up to 84.4% of advanced gastric cancer patients, and it affected the life quality of patients, efficacy of chemotherapy and the long-term survival. At present, the treatments for anemia is of no optimism. Comparing with drawbacks of blood transfusion and recombinant human erythropoietin, traditional Chinese medicine could prevent and treat anemia in a multi-link and multi-target way. And the important methods of this treatment were to invigorate spleen and comfort the stomach, supplement qi and promote the production of blood.

Conclusions: The pathogenesis investigation of gastric cancer related anemia and clinical practice to invigorate spleen and comfort stomach, as well as supplement qi and promote the production of blood, have provided critical ideas to prevent and treat gastric cancer related anemia based on syndrome differentiation of Chinese medicine. Future multi-center clinical trials are expected to provide solid evidence and expand the clinical application of this TCM therapy for gastric cancer related anemia.

Keywords: Gastric cancer related anemia; traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy; quality of life