Outline:
Bone tumor refers to the tumor occurring in bone and its accessory tissues (bone marrow, periosteum, blood vessel and nerve). It is an abnormal hyperplasia of bone and its accessory tissues. Its etiology and pathogenesis are very complex, and related to many factors such as physical, chemical, biological, genetic, immunological, nutriological, and psychological factors. Bone tumor is classified into benign and malignant ones, but sometimes they can not be strictly defined.
   
TCM holds that both endogenous and exogenous causes can bring about bone tumor. The exogenous causes are the abnormal climates of wind, cold, summer-heat, dampness, dryness and fire (called six exogenous pathogenic factors) in four seasons. According to the statistics, 50 % of cancers are related to the environmental factors in pathogenesis. The endogenous causes are factors in psychology, constitution, genetics and age, which are closely related to the initiation, development and prognosis of the bone tumor.
 
Herbal therapy
In the treatment of bone tumor with Chinese medicine, the inner factors of the human body should be activated to strengthen the body resistance against disease, control the growth of tumor cells or eliminate residual cancer cells after operation. Following the principle of "aiming at its root when treating a disease", the treatment is decided based on syndrome differentiation in consideration of both the principal and the secondary aspects. At the early stage of malignant tumor, the healthy qi is strong. So the comprehensive treatment should be taken with elimination as the chief and reinforcement as the auxiliary.

The neoplasm should be timely and completely removed. At the middle stage, the healthy qi is sufficient and the pathogen is excessive, or the neoplasm has been removed, then, the treatment should be based on elimination and reinforcement in combination, or reinforcement as the chief. At the late stage, the healthy qi is insufficient and the pathogen is excessive. So the treatment should be based on reinforcement before elimination so as to build up the patient's physique, boost the resistance against disease and prolong the patient’s life.
   
In addition, during the process of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, a great quantity of decomposed products accumulate in the body, which is bound to damage the body and leads to various complications such as bleeding, infection, amnesia, leukocytopenia. Therefore, medicinal herbs with the actions of strengthening the healthy qi, detoxification and purgation as well as parenteral fluid therapy must be given in combination in order to expel the poisons out of the body as soon as possible, thus the complications are treated at the same time. A long period of practice has proved that the following traditional Chinese medicinal herbs have a certain effect on various bone tumors: Huangqi ( Radix Astragali seu Hedysari ) , Lingzhi (Ganoderma Lucidum ), Renshen (Radix Ginseng ), Dangshen ( Radix Codonopsitis Pilosulae ),Nuzhenzi  ( Fructus  Ligustri  Lucidi ),  Shancigu ( Pseudobulbus Cremastrae), Banzhilian ( Herba Scutellariae Barbtab ), Baihuashesbecao ( Herba Hedyotidis Diffusae), Shuizhi (Hirudo), and Wugong ( Scolopendra ) , etc.

(1) Syndrome of blockage of stagnant blood
Main symptoms and signs:
Swelling and pain in the limbs, stabbing pain in the chest and hypochondrium, distending pain in the abdomen, fixed pain with a hard mass, constipation, dysuria, purplish tongue with ecchymoses, deep and stringy pulse.

Therapeutic methods:
Promoting blood flow to remove the blood stasis, and softening the mass.

Recipe and herbs:
Modified Didang Decoction. Specifically, Shuizhi (Hirudo) 9 g, Mangchong (Tabanus) 9 g, Taoren (Semen Persicae) 6 g, Dahuang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) 15 g, Shengdihuang (Radix Rehmanniae) 15 g, Baishaoyao ( Radix Paeoniae Alba ) 10 g, Huangqin ( Radix Scutellariae ) 10 g, Danshen ( Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae ) 10 g, Kunbu ( Thallus Laminariae seu Eckloniae) 10 g and Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae) 6 g.

(2) Syndrome of exuberance of heat-poison
Main symptoms and signs:
Fever, general pain, dry mouth and tongue, headache, constipation, dark urine, local redness and swelling, heat and tenderness, yellow tongue coating, stringy and rapid pulse.
   
Therapeutic methods:
Clearing away heat and resolving poison.
 
Recipe and herbs:
Modified Huanglian Jiedu Decoction. Specifically, Huanglian ( Rhizoma Coptidis ) 6 g, Huangqin (Radix Scutellariae) 10 g, Huangbai ( Cortex Phellodendri ) 10 g, Shanzhizi ( Fructus Gardeniae ) 10 g, Mudanpi ( Cortex Mountan Radicis ) 10 g, Chishaoyao ( Radix Paeoniae Rubrae ) 10 g, Taoren ( Semen Persicae ) 10 g, Danzhuye ( Herba Lophatheri Gracilis ) 10 g and Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae ) 6 g.

(3) Syndrome of insufficiency of the liver and kidney
Main symptoms and signs:
Dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus, soreness and weakness of low back, weakness of limbs with difficulty in walking, spermarrhea, impotence, or irregular menstruation, red tongue with little coating, thready and rapid pulse.
 
Therapeutic method:
Reinforcing the liver and kidney.
 
Recipe and herbs:
Modified Liuwei Dihuang Decoction. Specifically, Shudihuang (Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata ) 15 g, Huaishanyao ( Rhizoma Dioscoreae ) 12 g, Shanzhuyu ( Fructus Corni ) 12 g, Baishaoyao (Radix Paeoniae Alba ) 10 g, Mudanpi ( Cortex Mountan Radicis) 10 g, Fuling (Poriae) 10 g, Zexie (Rhizoma Alismatis ) 10 g, Niuxi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae ) 10 g, Chenpi ( Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae ) 10 g and Gancao (Radix Glycyrrhizae ) 3