Zhou Daihan, a Chinese Medicine Master (the highest honor for Chinese medicine practitioners in China), is a contemporary Chinese medicine (CM) oncologist. Born in May 1941, Professor Zhou is

    the director of Institute of Oncology in Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine,

   a chief Professor, 

    a chief physician,

    a PhD spervisor,

    a postdoctoral supervisor of

    one of the third and fourth supervisors of Chinese medicine academic experience inheritance,

    one of the first postdoctoral co-supervisors of Chinese medicine inheritance,

a prestigious CM practitioner in Guangdong province,

    an honorary director of Standing Committee of Tumor Specialty of Guangdong Association of Chinese Medicine and Branch of China Association of Chinese Medicine

    entitled to the State Council Special Allowance.

He established Lingnan CM academic School for tumor, promoted the establishment and development of higher education for CM Oncology, suggested “survive with tumor”, and developed theories of treatment for cancer as well as Chinese patent medicine Hechan tablets for lung cancer. He is specialized in treating liver cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer and other advanced malignant tumors.

He pointed out that tumor treatment based on pattern differentiation originated from the Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases (Shang Han Za Bing Lun), emphasized that pattern differentiation consists of “disease differentiation”, “pattern differentiation” and “symptom differentiation”, and developed the theory ofwarm diseases.Professor Zhou is the first one who suggested that “radiotherapy diseases” are associated with fire or heat toxin and some toxic side effects after chemotherapy are in the category of dampness–heat pattern of warm diseases.  

Due to the climate and diet custom in Lingnan，herbal medicines in Lingnan are  “damp” and “toxin” in nature, so are the patients with tumor. Following treatises of Lingnan practitioners and effective folk prescriptions, Professor Zhou emphasized “dampness-heat” and “stasis toxin” in the Chinese medicine Dietotherapy for Tumor (Zhong Yi Zhong Liu Si Liao Xue) and other monographs, which indicates the formation of Lingnan  school of CM for tumor,

In terms of the difficulty in treating advanced cancer and cancer recurrence, Professor Zhou thought that if the struggle between the healthy qi and pathogenic qi occurs and the pathogenic qi does not prevail over healthy qi, surviving with tumor is an option. The treatment aims are improving symptoms by pattern differentiation and treatment, improving quality of life, and prolonging the patient's life. These are characteristics of Chinese medicine for tumor.

Professor Zhou is actively promoting the development of higher education of CM oncology. He is the chief editor of the first planned Chinese Medicine Oncology issued by the Education Ministry of China. In addition, he has published eight monographs and more than 100 papers.