A brief discussion on how to prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis

In recent years, the mortality rate of malignant tumors in my country has remained high, and the recurrence rates of lung cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer are a major concern for the people. How to prevent and reduce the recurrence and metastasis of tumors is particularly important.

What are tumor recurrence and metastasis? Tumor recurrence refers to the reappearance of the same type of tumor as the primary tumor in the same location after a period of time, while metastasis refers to the migration of the tumor to another location through the blood, lymphatic system or body cavity and its continued growth.

In life, there are three main reasons for tumor recurrence and metastasis.

The first is that the treatment is not standardized and thorough. This mainly refers to not receiving standardized postoperative adjuvant treatment, which is usually caused by the patient's adverse reactions to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, or by listening to folk remedies or secret recipes and arbitrarily interrupting treatment.

Second, the cancer constitution has not changed. Although the local tumor lesions of the patient have been eliminated through surgery or radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the tumor constitution of many cancer patients still exists, such as the hepatitis B virus has not been eliminated, etc. The causes that induce normal cells to become cancerous and the soil that is conducive to the growth of tumor cells still exist. After a rain, tumor cells will sprout again.

The third is an unhealthy lifestyle. After recovery, some cancer patients resume unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking, drinking, and staying up late, which are important causes of tumor recurrence and metastasis.

So based on our preliminary understanding of tumor recurrence and metastasis above, should we pay more attention to how to effectively prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis?

1. Standardized and complete anti-tumor treatment - working together with doctors to encircle and suppress the remaining enemy forces

First, when seeking medical treatment, patients must choose professional oncologists. Only in this way can the efficacy and safety be basically guaranteed; second, when receiving treatment, patients must complete the full course of treatment as much as possible, because a full course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy can minimize the probability of tumor recurrence and metastasis. For patients who cannot tolerate radiotherapy and chemotherapy, they must discuss and adjust the treatment plan with the attending physician and remember not to interrupt the treatment on their own.

2. Improve your physical fitness - build a solid defense system to prevent the enemy from attacking again

In the process of preventing the recurrence and metastasis of tumors, the most important point is the patient's active cooperation and strong will. After summarizing, we have divided how to improve physical fitness into four aspects.

First, abstinence - eliminate or avoid the causes of tumors.

Take the most common types of cancer as an example. Lung cancer requires smoking cessation because harmful substances in tobacco, such as nicotine, are closely related to lung cancer and gastric cancer. Liver cancer requires active treatment of hepatitis virus infection, abstaining from alcohol, and remember not to eat moldy foods such as rice and peanuts. Gastric cancer requires patients to eat less pickled and fried foods and treat Helicobacter pylori infection in a timely manner. Colorectal cancer requires reducing the intake of high-calorie, high-fat foods. Esophageal cancer requires eating less irritating and overly hot foods. The causes of each cancer are different, so the aspects that need attention are also different. Every cancer patient who has recovered should not relax his vigilance, but should strictly require himself according to healthy living habits. Only in this way can he say goodbye to tumor recurrence and metastasis.

Second, food - pay attention to balanced nutrition.

Tumor itself is a wasting disease, and combined with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other treatment methods, they have caused varying degrees of damage to the patient's nutritional status and immune function. Therefore, compared with healthy people, the protein and calories should be increased by about 20%, that is, meat, milk, eggs, etc. should be consumed to ensure a balanced diet. The choice of food should be diversified, and more vegetables, fruits and other plant foods and foods rich in minerals and vitamins should be eaten. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that medicine and food have the same origin, and food has four properties and five flavors like medicine. Tumor patients should usually choose a sweet and light diet, pay attention to slow adjustment, and persevere. It is recommended to eat more duck, coix rice, turtle, etc., and avoid eating onions, ginger, garlic, peppers, roosters, carp, beef, dog meat, pickles, etc. However, there are also flexibility in taboos: any food that the patient likes or that is contrary to the syndrome differentiation, but the patient feels comfortable after eating, can increase appetite, and improve mood, can also be eaten less, because it can invigorate the stomach qi, promote the patient's cheerful mood, and is beneficial to the recovery of the sick body.

Third, movement - strengthen physical exercise.

As the saying goes, "Life lies in exercise." Cancer patients can perform appropriate exercises based on their own physical conditions, such as Tai Chi, jogging, yoga, etc., to improve the body's immune function and reduce the probability of tumor recurrence.

Fourth, medicine - assisted by traditional Chinese medicine.

Studies have shown that reasonable Chinese medicine treatment after tumor treatment surgery can effectively prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis. Chinese medicine is based on the individual conditions of the patient, syndrome differentiation and treatment, to strengthen the body and eliminate evil. However, it is not advisable to use it blindly or arbitrarily. Please use it under the guidance of a Chinese medicine doctor in a regular hospital.

For cancer patients, it is very important to enhance the body's immune capacity, because only when the body's immune surveillance system functions normally can the body be able to actively destroy or eliminate the spread of cancer cells and avoid the formation of metastatic lesions. Normal immune capacity also plays an important role in the treatment of primary cancer.

3. Maintain a happy mood and conduct appropriate psychological counseling - defeat the enemy mentally first

No matter what disease it is, the psychological suggestion of the patient is powerful. For cancer patients, the benefits of healthy psychology are mainly reflected in two aspects.

First, psychological factors are closely related to tumor recurrence and metastasis. Long-term negative emotions reduce the body's immunity through the neuro-endocrine-immune network, increasing the probability of tumor recurrence or metastasis. Chinese medicine says that "tranquility and emptiness, true qi follows, the spirit is inward, and there is no disease", "seven emotions hurt the spleen and stomach, depression and phlegm, phlegm and qi", "liver and spleen depression and anger, qi and blood deficiency, called breast cancer" are good proofs.

Secondly, cancer patients are prone to negative emotions such as anxiety and despair, so it is particularly important to have an optimistic attitude. Studies have shown that the incidence of anxiety and depression in cancer patients is 76.6% and 63.07%, respectively, which may be accompanied by other psychological conditions such as decreased self-confidence, despair, loss, fear, etc. An optimistic attitude is conducive to maintaining a person's immune function in the best state, accelerating recovery and preventing recurrence. Therefore, psychological care for cancer patients must not be ignored!

4. Regular review - do not relax inspections

Finally, let's talk about how to monitor the patient's physical condition in a timely manner. For the patient himself, first of all, he should pay attention to the condition and changes of his own body and detect small signals in time. If the following conditions occur, patients must pay attention!

1. New tumors, nodules, ulcers, etc. appear at or near the original lesion, or there is a feeling of pain;

2. Swelling of lymph nodes in various parts of the body, such as below the neck, above and below the clavicle, armpits, groin, etc.;

3. Systemic changes, such as gradually worsening loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, anemia, unexplained fever (tumor fever), etc.

If the above situation occurs, please be sure to go to the hospital for a comprehensive check-up in time for early detection and treatment.

Finally, patients must be sure to have follow-up examinations on time. A comprehensive examination should be conducted every 3 months 1-2 years after surgery (especially within 1 year when the tumor recurrence/metastasis rate is high); a comprehensive examination should be conducted every 6 months 2-3 years after surgery; and a follow-up examination can be conducted every 6-12 months after 3 years or more after surgery.