With the increasing incidence of breast cancer, especially the proportion of young female patients, a multidisciplinary team of breast cancer MDT (multidisciplinary team) experts composed of multidisciplinary experts was officially established in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine. The team is committed to providing comprehensive diagnosis and treatment services for breast cancer patients, aiming to improve the treatment effect and quality of life of patients.
On September 28, the first and fifth academic conference of the Professional Committee for the Prevention and Treatment of Breast Disease of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine of Guangdong Clinical Medical Association was held in Guangzhou. At the conference, the establishment ceremony of the MDT expert team of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine for breast cancer in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine was held, and the MDT case of breast cancer was demonstrated.
To provide breast cancer patients with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, individualized precision treatment plan
Professor Huang Mei, chairman of the conference and director of the Breast Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, was interviewed by Yangcheng Evening News and introduced that the MDT expert team of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine for breast cancer in the hospital is led by the breast department and composed of experts from multiple disciplines such as medical oncology, radiotherapy, pathology, imaging, and reproductive medicine. The establishment of the team aims to highlight the diagnosis and treatment characteristics of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, and to develop individualized and accurate treatment plans for patients according to the complex conditions (such as based on pathological types, molecular typing, genetic testing results and other indicators) and physical conditions of breast cancer patients, through multidisciplinary expert discussion and consultation, and combined with the latest research results of breast cancer treatment. Depending on the specific needs of the patient, the team may also include specialists from other related disciplines, such as cardiovascular medicine and endocrinology.
"In the past, after a patient was diagnosed with breast cancer, survival time was the focus of attention, but with the increasing number of breast cancer treatment methods and better treatment effects, the long-term survival of breast cancer patients has basically become no problem, which also makes breast cancer a chronic disease, and the requirements for quality of life have also increased." Professor Huang Mei has been practicing medicine for 30 years, and in her daily diagnosis and treatment, she deeply understands the deep desire of breast cancer patients to have a beautiful, happy and fulfilling life like other women. She explained that it is precisely because of this that the MDT expert team of breast cancer integrative medicine has to face not only to solve difficult and severe diseases, but also to make suggestions to improve the quality of life of patients. The addition of traditional Chinese medicine is particularly important, which also makes the MDT expert team of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine for breast cancer in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine different from the MDT team of other hospitals based on Western medicine.
Fertility protection for young breast cancer patients
With the increasing trend of younger breast cancer, more and more young women want to preserve their fertility while being treated for breast cancer. The MDT team works closely with the Department of Reproductive Medicine to provide fertility preservation counseling and treatment to these patients.
Fen Fen (not her real name), a woman in her 30s, was newly married when she was diagnosed with breast cancer during a check-up while trying to conceive. In the face of the upcoming chemotherapy, Fenfen is not only worried about the outcome of her breast cancer treatment, but also worried about losing the opportunity to be a mother forever because of the treatment. Prof. Huang Mei and the reproductive medicine experts in the MDT team worked together to tailor a treatment plan for Fenfen, including ovarian protection measures before chemotherapy, which can minimize the damage to ovarian function from chemotherapy, so that Fenfen can regain fertility as soon as possible after the end of treatment.
Reduce side effects and improve efficacy, Chinese medicine shows advantages!
For elderly breast cancer patients, the MDT team focuses on using TCM to alleviate side effects during treatment and improve the quality of life of patients. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has effectively alleviated bone and joint pain, insomnia, and emotional problems in elderly patients through syndrome differentiation and treatment, and the use of non-drug therapies such as internal medication, acupuncture, and moxibustion.
Professor Huang Mei took endocrine therapy for breast cancer as an example, during the treatment period, patients may have side effects such as morning stiffness of finger joints and bone and joint pain, and the elderly themselves have osteoporosis and other degenerative joint diseases, so the risk of joint pain and joint stiffness during endocrine therapy is greater, and the symptoms are more severe. For example, some elderly people even wake up every morning, they have to straighten their stiff fingers one by one and move for a period of time to gradually recover their function, and some elderly people will even have heel pain so that they can't walk normally. After receiving TCM acupuncture and moxibustion for a period of time, their discomfort was greatly reduced. For example, some breast cancer patients will experience a first- and second-degree decrease in white blood cells during endocrine therapy, and moxibustion treatment can also help white blood cells slowly recover.
In order to meet the needs of patients with breast diseases for traditional Chinese medicine treatment, the Breast Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine has also set up a special breast physiotherapy rehabilitation room in the outpatient clinic. The physiotherapy room plays an important role in the management of inflammatory breast diseases, proliferative diseases, perioperative rehabilitation of breast cancer, periradiotherapy, chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. This initiative reflects the MDT team's commitment to holistic patient care and its commitment to improving the overall quality of life of patients.
It is precisely because of the intervention of traditional Chinese medicine that the patient's treatment compliance is improved and the treatment effect is indirectly improved. "Whether it is from our clinical observations, or there are literature at home and abroad, it is confirmed that the intervention of traditional Chinese medicine is helpful in improving the clinical efficacy of breast cancer patients." Professor Huang Mei introduced.
Text: Reporter Chen Huitu: Courtesy of the interviewee
Editor: Qin Xiaojie