Despite this principle, however, in order to give the treatment an orientation it is imperative to devise a treatment plan which is based on an understanding of the patient's condition and needs. I would therefore call the general treatment plan, which may be composed of several phases, a strategy. By contrast the treatment routine, given daily within the strategy frame, may be called the treatment tactics. The tactics, therefore, are based on evaluation of the cancer patient's condition before every treatment, and dictate the nature of the treatment for that day. Many considerations which are established principles of acupuncture treatment, have an extra emphasis while treating cancer.
Life is at stake here, and the battle is fierce.
In T.C.M. when a diagnosis is defined, the usual tendency is to counteract it. In cases of heat, cooling actions are taken, in cases of excess, dispersing techniques and so on. A cancer tumor usually falls within the realms of a congealed blood pattern, a situation which calls for blood invigorating techniques as the main principle of treatment. However, despite the obvious excess condition, and the basic congealed blood pattern, the patient initially received treatments aimed at benefiting the paralyzed limbs, and tonifying Blood and Qi in general. Only after the Qi was moving normally in his limbs, and his general Qi and Blood level had been raised, as evidenced by his pulse and symptoms, was the congealed blood pattern dealt with directly.