China Ethnic Medical Association released the list of winners of prizes for scientific and technological progress of 2021 the other day. The “research and application of key techniques of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of malignant pleural effusion of lung cancer” submitted by Wang Wei, director of the TCM Cancer Treatment Center of Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, the undertaking organization, as the first undertaker was given the first prize for scientific and technological progress.

Lung cancer has the highest incidence rate among all cancers all over the world. The incidence rate of malignant pleural effusion in lung cancer patients ranges from 25% to 52%, which is one of the common complications of advanced lung cancer. Malignant pleural effusion can cause chest tightness, chest pain, cough, dyspnea and other symptoms, and would seriously affect the quality of life of patients, and even endanger the lives of patients. In order to give full play to the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine and solve this clinical problem, a team led by Wang Wei, director of the TCM Cancer Treatment Center of Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, developed the "key techniques of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of malignant pleural effusion of lung cancer" after 10 years of technological efforts and creatively put forward the comprehensive TCM treatment scheme for malignant pleural effusion of lung cancer that involves the external application of traditional Chinese medicine and moxibustion technology based on oral administration of syndrome differentiation decoction. The team was the first to put forward the whole-process management integration mode of traditional Chinese medicine for the prevention and treatment of malignant pleural effusion of lung cancer integrating prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation at home and abroad. An integrated treatment system combining "internal administration of syndrome differentiation decoction + external application of traditional Chinese medicine + moxibustion" has been established, and more than 10 kinds of characteristic traditional Chinese medicine technologies such as anti-cancer powder have been developed. At present, the series achievements of the Project have been used to serve more than 100,000 patients, and have greatly improved the quality of life of patients and effectively prolonged the life expectancy of patients.

This technology has been well received by many experts in cancer treatment with combination of Chinese traditional and Western medicine in China. They believe that the Project features deliberate design, scientific method, standardized implementation and remarkable curative effect. The team has been taking the lead in establishing a TCM integrated intervention technology that integrates prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of lung cancer malignant pleural effusion at home and abroad, forming a whole-process management integration mode of lung cancer malignant pleural effusion and promoting its application and has made significant contributions to promoting the prevention and treatment of malignant cancers with the use of TCM in China.

The Scientific and Technological Prize of China Ethnic Medical Association is a prize approved to be established by the Ministry of Science and Technology and National Office for Science and Technology Awards. It is issued to individuals and organizations that have made noticeable contributions to the medical scientific and technological activities of various ethnic groups, and aims to inspire the enthusiasm and creativity of these scientific and technological workers and foster development of China’s ethnic medical science and technology.