In the process of cancer treatment, many patients or their family members are very afraid of leukopenia after radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and are worried that it will affect the body's immune function, so they refuse radiotherapy and chemotherapy, delaying the best time for treatment. During the treatment process, the family members are also particularly concerned about the precautions for the prevention or treatment of leukopenia. 

What is leukopenia?
        Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are one of the commonly used methods for the treatment of malignant tumors, and the main adverse reaction after radiotherapy and chemotherapy is leukopenia. Due to the lack of selectivity of chemotherapy drugs and radiotherapy, it is like a double-edged sword for the treatment of tumors, which not only has a killing effect on the crazy multiplication of tumor cells, but also has a toxic effect on the normal cells that proliferate rapidly in the body, such as oral mucosal cells, scalp cells, white blood cells, etc., which lead to mouth ulcers, hair loss and leukopenia. In the routine blood test, the white blood cell count is less than 4.0 ×109/L is called leukopenia, and the clinical manifestations are fatigue, muscle soreness, low-grade fever, decreased appetite, drowsiness and other symptoms. White blood cells are indispensable immune cells of the human body, which can directly destroy the pathogenic bacteria invaded by the outside world, under normal circumstances, the level of white blood cells will increase when the bacteria invade, and the body will mobilize the immune system to defend against the invasion of germs, if the white blood cells are lower than the normal value, when the external bacteria enter the human body, it is easy to cause the consequences of infection, mild colds, pneumonia, severe cases lead to sepsis.

 Dietary regulation of leukopenia

        During the course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, special attention should be paid to the intake of high-quality diet：

       (1) High-protein diet: It is mainly to improve the body's resistance and provide a material basis for white blood cells to return to normal. High-protein foods should be poultry eggs, lean meat, animal liver, kidney, milk, beans and their products. High-protein foods can be made into liquid or semi-liquid foods that are easy to digest and absorb.

(2) High-vitamin diet: vitamins can promote the growth and development of cells. Helps in the differentiation and proliferation of white blood cells, prompting them to return to normal. High-vitamin foods should choose yeast pasta foods, cereals, peanuts, green fresh vegetables, fruits, juices, etc., to supplement vitamin C, B group and folic acid. Vitamin-rich foods should not be cooked for too long to avoid vitamin loss.

(3) Pay attention to disinfection in the process of food production: At this time, the patient's resistance is weak and prone to infection, so it should be strictly disinfected when making food, and never eat raw, cold or unclean food.

Self-protection of leukopenia

        In general, leukopenia appears after radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and usually recovers 2~3 weeks after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Therefore, during the course of radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment, you should follow the doctor's arrangement to check the blood picture regularly, at least 1~2 times/week. If leukopenia occurs after radiotherapy or chemotherapy, patients and their families should cooperate with the doctor to do the following and do a good job of self-protection ： 

(1) Pay attention to the cleanliness of the mouth, perineum and skin.

(2) Keep the indoor air fresh, ventilate frequently, the room temperature and humidity are appropriate, control the visits of relatives and friends, and pay attention to rest and avoid fatigue every day.

(3) Avoid going to public places to reduce the chance of infection, and if you must go out, it is best to wear a mask.

(4) If the white blood cell count is found to be lower than the normal level (4.0 ×109/L), you should take the white blood cell growth drug "Shengbai Oral Solution" strictly according to the doctor's instructions, and check the blood picture regularly. In order to restore the number of white blood cells as soon as possible and avoid complications such as infection.

(5) If you have symptoms of infection after chemotherapy, such as cold, fatigue, body aches, fever, etc., you should seek medical attention as soon as possible and give antibiotic treatment in time according to the nature of the infection.

Traditional Chinese medicine conditioning for leukopenia

        Traditional Chinese medicine believes that "deficiency of spleen and kidney, qi and blood" caused by cancer chemotherapy is an important pathogenesis of leukopenia, and the disease belongs to the category of "fatigue" syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine. Before radiotherapy and chemotherapy, TCM syndrome differentiation treatment plus dietary conditioning can be used:

        Epimedium officinalis: It has the effect of tonifying kidney yang, strengthening muscles and bones, and dispelling rheumatism. "Benjing": "The main yin is impotent and wounded, and the stem is painful." It is good for urine, good for qi and strong will. "Studies have shown that many components in epimedium have a significant effect on the growth of white blood cells.

        Astragalus: It has the effect of tonifying and invigorating qi and treating weak diseases. Doctors of all dynasties believe that astragalus is the best of all kinds of qi tonic medicines. "Benjing Fengyuan" contains: "Astragalus can replenish the five internal organs". "Huazi Materia Medica" says that it "helps qi and strengthens muscles and bones, grows flesh and replenishes blood". Leukopenia is mostly a symptom of qi deficiency in traditional Chinese medicine, and astragalus is the most qi replenishment, so people with leukopenia should eat it.

        Codonopsis: It has the effect of replenishing qi, strengthening the spleen and stomach, nourishing qi and blood, and is commonly used by people with qi deficiency. According to a large number of clinical literature, Codonopsis can increase the decline of white blood cells caused by radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

        Jujube: It has the effect of tonifying the spleen, invigorating qi and nourishing blood, and should be eaten by those with blood deficiency, anemia, thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. For tumor patients with leukopenia caused by radiotherapy or chemotherapy, folk Xi is to cook porridge with red dates and red adzuki beans and glutinous rice.

        Cow pith: can tonify the kidney and benefit the marrow. It is recorded in the "Shennong's Materia Medica" that it "replenishes the middle, fills the bone marrow, and increases the years for a long time". Autocytopenia is mostly a disease of traditional Chinese medicine essence and blood loss, fatigue, therefore, regular food is quite straight, can receive the effect of replenishing deficiency and fatigue, and benefiting sperm and blood.

        Beef: It can nourish the spleen and stomach, nourish qi and blood, and strengthen muscles and bones. "Han's Medical Tong" believes: "Yellow beef replenishes qi, and astragalus has the same effect." "The Usurpation of Medicine" also said: "Beef is sweet in taste, specializing in tonifying the spleen and soil, spleen and stomach, and the foundation of blood in the later weather, and supplementing this is all supplemented." Eating more beef will replenish qi and strengthen the spleen, so it is advisable to eat often.

        In addition, patients with leukopenia should also choose black-bone chicken, sea cucumber, ejiao, chicken, eggs, pigeon meat, pigeon eggs, yellow eel, loach, soft-shelled turtle, prince ginseng, yam, cordyceps, lion's mane mushroom, shiitake mushroom, wolfberry, yellow essence, walnut meat, peanut kernel and other products that nourish qi and blood.

        If in order to save time and energy and improve the convenience of treatment, that is, "raw white oral liquid" can be used to make white blood cells grow, so as to increase the level of white blood cells, improve clinical symptoms, and enable patients to obtain greater benefits.

       Clinical application characteristics of "Shengbai Oral Liquid":

 1. Oral dosage form, through the nutrition of bone marrow, restore the hematopoietic function of bone marrow.

2. Efficacy can be assessed with quantitative indicators (white blood cell count).

3. Simultaneous administration with chemoradiotherapy can effectively reduce the incidence of leukopenia.

4. Effectively reduce the degree of white blood cell decline.

5. Combined with the white needle, it can reduce the amount of white needle and make the effect more sustainable.