Prevention and Treatment of Radiation-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis by the Method of Dispelling Stasis to Promote Regeneration / 中医杂志

ABSTRACT

Blood stasis is an important pathological factor throughout the whole course of radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis， which could evolve from new into long stagnation， and the methods of dispelling stasis to promote regeneration should throughout the whole disease progress. It is believed that the basis of the radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis is heat toxin dispersing qi and yin， and deficiency of healthy qi promoting blood stasis. The process of the disease showed latent fire burning pulmonary collaterals， and the binding of phlegm and stasis. The key factors of the disease were the damage of ying-wei （营卫） qi in channels and collaterals， as well as the blood stasis evolving into dried blood. It is suggested that during radiotherapy， we should pay more attention to relieve heat， moisten dryness， supplement qi and yin， nourish and harmonize blood， and remove blood stasis， so as to prevent disease before it arises. If there is radiation pneumonia， we could focus on dissolving phlegm， removing blood stasis， clearing latent fire， and unblocking the collaterals and veins， in order to "control the development of existing disease". If it develops into radiation-induced pulmonary fibrosis， we could relive the center and supplement deficiency， tonify original qi， dispel stasis to promote regeneration， and clear dried blood， for the purpose of slowing the progression of disease. These ideas might provide reference for clinical treatment.