基于《黄帝内经》“壮火”理论探讨癌毒性质

Discussion on the nature of cancer toxins based on the theory of “vigorous fire” in Huangdi Neijing

肿瘤的发生是细胞异常增生,机体免疫识别和清除功能减弱,并持续累积形成的结果。近代中医学者提出“癌毒”概念,成为中医理论认识恶性肿瘤发生发展的重要因素,但目前癌毒的阴阳属性仍存在争议。肿瘤患者机体防御功能减弱,形神俱憔,转移病机难以防控,呈现出阳弱有火,虚实夹杂的病理特征。通过对《黄帝内经》中“壮火”理论的分析,探讨癌毒属性,认为癌毒累积与壮火生成有相似之处,肿瘤细胞的恶性增殖特征与阴阳分化推及千百的演变规律相近,阳气过用化火,招感阴精箍围制约,从形体上渐成实质瘤体,持续烁精散气,克伐元真终至衰败。机体内癌毒火性与元气相争的动态过程,构成了肿瘤萌发、生长、转移等多阶段的病机转化,而癌毒本质特性的鉴别为肿瘤治疗中阴阳法则的应用提供了临床思路。

Tumorigenesis result from the formation of a continuous accumulation of cellular dysplasia and impaired immune recognition and clearance functions. In modern times, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) scholars have proposed the concept of a “cancer toxin” as an important factor in the TCM theory to recognize the occurrence and development of malignant tumors. Currently, the Yin and Yang attributes of a cancer toxin are still controversial. Patients with cancer have diminished body defenses and somatic and mental weakness. The risk of metastasis is difficult to prevent, presenting the pathological features of a weak fire and virtual inclusion of Yang. By utilizing an analysis of the “vigorous fire” theory in Huangdi Neijing, we explore the properties of cancer toxins and believe that there are similarities between cancer toxins and vigorous fire;the malignant proliferation characteristics of tumor cells are close to the Yin Yang differentiation principle. Furthermore, the excessive use of Yang Qi turns into fire, recruits Yin around restricted tumors, forms tangible entities, consumes primordial Qi continuously, and leads to the final death. The dynamic process of cancer toxins and Yuan Qi competition in the body that constitute the multistage disease mechanism transformation—such as tumor initiation, growth, and metastasis, and the identification of the essential features of cancer toxins—provides clinical ideas for the Yin and Yang therapeutic principle.