Lymphatic Cancer

Lymphomas are cancers of the Lymphatic glands. It is the 6th most common form of Cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers).

The main types of Lymphoma are:

• Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (Hodgkin’s Disease)
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Primary symptoms:

• painless swelling of the lymph nodes
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Night Sweats
• Weight loss
• Itchy skin

Risk factors include age, being a male, lowered immune system, and some chronic infections.
In Traditional Medicine, Lymphoma would generally be classed with Scrofula (swelling of the Lymph glands). A number of the medicines used Traditionally for Scrofula may be useful in the treatment of Lymphoma.

Traditional Medicine Diagnosis

Syndrome associated with Lymphoma and Lymphatic Cancer in TCM include:

• Heat and Toxin–heat symptoms, inflamed nodes, red tongue; more typical in acute stage in young people
• Qi stagnation with Phlegm obstruction–early to mid stage
• Cold Phlegm Obstruction–symptoms of cold phlegm, low pulse, pale face, excess phlegm
• Qi stagnation with Blood Stasis–lumps or nodes that are hard, dull color, chopping pulse; more common in mid stage or advanced cases
• Qi and Yin Deficiency–fatigue, weakness, wasting, low pulse; chronic cases, elderly patients, after radiation and chemotherapy

Special Formula

Cancer of the Lymphatic, Breast or Liver 
    Semiaquilegia Tian Kui Zi
    Scutellaria barbata Ban Zhi Lian
    Hedyotis Bai Hua She She Cao
    Paris (Chong Lou)
Form a decoction. (Chen & Chen)

Lymphoma Formula
    Asparagus Tian Men Dong
    Hedyotis Bai Hua She She Cao
This combination has been combined as both a injection and as an oral liquid.

Lymphoma formula
    Honeysuckle Jin Yin Hua
    Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying)
    Violet
    Scutellariae barbatae Ban Zhi Lian
    Hedyotis Bai Hua She She Cao
    Red Peony Chi Shao Yao
    Curcuma Yu Jin
    Bitter Orange Zhi Ke

For use during concurrent Chemotherapy
    Hedyotis Bai Hua She She Cao 40 grams
    Asparagus Tian Men Dong        30 grams
    Ligustrum Nu Zhen Zi                15 grams
    Poria Fu Ling                                 15 grams
    Polyporus Zhu Ling                     12 grams
    Atractylodes Bai zhu                   15 grams
    Agrimonia Xian He Cao               15 grams
    Curcuma Yu Jin                            12 grams
    Dioscorea bulbifera Huang Yao Zi 12 grams
    Astragalus Huang Qin                 15 grams
    Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen        15 grams
    Lonicera Jin Yin Hua                     9 grams
    Licorice                                            3 grams

For use during concurrent Radiotherapy
    Hedyotis Bai Hua She She Cao 40 grams
    Asparagus Tian Men Dong         30 grams
    Ophiopogon Mai Men Dong  
    Salvia Dan Shen
    Imperata Bai Mao Gen
    Rehmannia Sheng Di
    Astragalus Huang Qin
    Pseudostellaria Tai Zi Shen         15 grams ea.
    Poria Fu Ling
    Polyporus Zhu Ling
    Atractylodes Bai Zhu                    12 grams ea.
    Polygonatum Huang Jing
    Paeonia Mu Dan Pi                         9 grams ea.
    Licorice                                             3 grams
(The above two formulas were sourced from: Chinese Medical Treatment of Malignant Lymphoma By Bob Flaws, Acupuncture Today – July, 2002, Vol. 03, Issue 07)

Research:

Cannabis
–Synergistic cytotoxic activity of cannabinoids from cannabis sativa against cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in-vitro and ex-vivo
Helleborus
–Anti-cancer effects were demonstrated with water extracts of the whole plant of Helleborus niger against several Cancer cell lines. A potent inhibitory effect was caused by apoptosis in Lymphoma, Leukemia, and Melanoma cell lines. In addition, strong synergy was shown between the extract and vincristine against Lymphoma. (Jesse et al., Pediatr Blood Cancer, Apr, 2009)
Rabdosia
–Oridonin, a diterpenoid purified from Rabdosia rubescens, inhibits the proliferation of cells from lymphoid malignancies in association with blockade of the NF-kappa B signal pathways.
–Reactive oxygen species mediate oridonin-induced apoptosis through DNA damage response and activation of JNK pathway in diffuse large B cell lymphoma.