April 15-21 is National Anti-cancer Week 2023 with the theme of “Comprehensive Action for Cancer Prevention and Treatment”. At the launching ceremony of the 4th “Co-construction and Sharing for the Health of All” public welfare action undertaken by GanoHerb recently, Professor Jian Du, a nationally famous traditional Chinese medicine doctor and chief physician of The Second Affiliated People’s Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, reminded that given that China ranks first in the world in terms of cancer incidence and mortality, the tertiary prevention of cancer requires the coordination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine, among which the traditional Chinese medicine Ganoderma lucidum has bright prospects.

Leverage the prevention and control of cancer with nutrition as the fulcrum.

A survey data from China Anti-Cancer Association shows that the incidence of malnutrition among cancer patients hospitalized in Grade III Level A hospitals in China is 80.4%, and the median survival time of lung cancer patients with severe malnutrition is 847 days shorter than that of well-nourished patients. Malnutrition has seriously affected the life expectancy of cancer patients.

The picture shows that Professor Jian Du is sharing a lecture on “Tertiary Prevention of Cancer and Health Preserving with Proper Diet”.

Professor Jian Du said, “Cancer is a wasting disease. A large part of cancer treatment depends on the patient’s own immunity, and nutrition is the most important factor to boost immune function. On the other hand, anti-cancer therapy itself will cause damage to the body, and only a good nutritional status can better meet the treatment. For patients, nutritional therapy is the first-line treatment for cancer and should run through the whole process of anti-cancer treatment.”

Traditional Chinese medicine puts into force health preservation with proper diet on the basis of distinguishing the constitution while Ganoderma lucidum can strengthen healthy qi.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the human body has nine types of constitutions: harmony, qi deficiency, yang deficiency, yin deficiency, blood deficiency, phlegm dampness, damp heat, blood stasis, and qi stagnation, which are closely related to health and disease. Based on the variability of constitution and clinical experience, it is recommended that you choose the right food among the five grains, five fruits, five vegetables, and five animals, and adjust the excess or deficiency of yin and yang or qi and blood through diet so as to balance yin and yang, and achieve the purpose of improving physical fitness.

When talking about the diet therapy prescription for cancer prevention, Professor Jian Du said that Ganoderma lucidum in traditional Chinese medicine is mild in nature and non-toxic, improves complexion if consumed for a long time, and is the top-grade medicinal material for strengthening healthy qi. After radiotherapy and chemotherapy, cancer patients often have insufficient healthy qi and suffer from deficiency of both qi and yin. At this time, Ganoderma lucidum (Ganoderma sinense) can be used to strengthen healthy qi and boost the immune system.

The picture shows Professor Jian Du being interviewed by reporters.

Professor Jian Du pointed out in an interview with reporters that Ganoderma lucidum is both medicine and food. In the clinical application, Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides can enhance immunity and achieve the effect of strengthening healthy qi while Ganoderma lucidum triterpenes have a good effect against cancer and can play a role in adjuvant therapy. There are many traditional Chinese medicines for strengthening healthy qi, but Ganoderma lucidum is a rare tonic that can both strengthen healthy qi and eliminate pathogens, so it is often used in cancer rehabilitation.

The fourth “Co-construction and Sharing for the Health of All” public welfare action is continuing. Stay tuned for more exciting content.