Lu YY, Li YP, Yan XY. Integrated traditional and western medicine spleen-stomach support in geriatric gastrointestinal cancer care. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; 18(9): 119709 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.119709]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Xiao-Yan Yan, Department of Geriatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 42 Wenhua West Road, Lixia District, Jinan 250011, Shandong Province, China. sharon.yan@163.com
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
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review-article
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Lu YY, Li YP, Yan XY. Integrated traditional and western medicine spleen-stomach support in geriatric gastrointestinal cancer care. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; 18(9): 119709 [DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.119709]
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Sep 15, 2026; 18(9): 119709 Published online Sep 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.119709
Integrated traditional and western medicine spleen-stomach support in geriatric gastrointestinal cancer care
Yu-Yin Lu, Ya-Ping Li, Xiao-Yan Yan
Yu-Yin Lu, General Practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Fourth People's Hospital of Jinan, Affiliated to Shandong Second Medical University, Jinan 250031, Shandong Province, China
Ya-Ping Li, School of Nursing, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250355, Shandong Province, China
Xiao-Yan Yan, Department of Geriatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250011, Shandong Province, China
Author contributions: Lu YL initiated research, Li YP designed the experiments and conducted clinical data collection, performed postoperative follow-up and recorded the data; Lu YL and Yan XY conducted the collation and statistical analysis, and wrote the original manuscript and revised the paper; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflict of interests to declare.
Corresponding author: Xiao-Yan Yan, Department of Geriatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 42 Wenhua West Road, Lixia District, Jinan 250011, Shandong Province, China. sharon.yan@163.com
Received: March 3, 2026 Revised: March 26, 2026 Accepted: April 20, 2026 Published online: September 15, 2026 Processing time: 175 Days and 5.8 Hours
Abstract
Elderly patients with advanced gastrointestinal tumors often face severe challenges, such as malnutrition, substantial symptom burden, and poor quality of life due to tumor-related cachexia, organ dysfunction, and treatment-related toxicity. This phenomenon underscores an urgent need for optimized supportive care strategies. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory that “the spleen and stomach are the foundation of postnatal life and the source of vital energy and blood” offers a unique perspective, with the “strengthening and protecting the spleen and stomach” approach aiming to restore the central digestive functions as a core supportive strategy. This review summarizes and evaluates the current application and efficacy of the integrated TCM and western medicine approach of “strengthening and protecting the spleen and stomach” in supportive care for this population. PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Data were searched from inception to December 2025 using the following terms: “gastrointestinal tumors”, “gastric cancer”, “colorectal cancer”, “elderly”, “strengthening and protecting the spleen and stomach”, “invigorating the spleen”, and “supportive care”. A total of 101 relevant studies were included for analysis. The integrated approach combines TCM principles—such as strengthening the spleen, benefiting qi, harmonizing the stomach, and reducing counterflow—with modern nutritional support and symptom management. It demonstrates potential in alleviating cancer-related anorexia–cachexia syndrome, managing treatment-related side effects, relieving cancer pain and opioid adverse effects, and improving cancer-related fatigue, showing synergistic benefits in enhancing treatment tolerance and quality of life. The integrated approach holds significant clinical value. However, current evidence primarily derives from small-sample studies, and its mechanisms require further elucidation. High-quality clinical research is needed to explore standardized and individualized practices for its systematic application in tumor supportive care.
Core Tip: This review outlines the integrative “strengthening and protecting the spleen and stomach” approach in supportive care for elderly patients with advanced gastrointestinal tumors. By combining spleen-invigorating, stomach-harmonizing methods with nutritional and symptom management, it shows synergistic benefits in improving anorexia-cachexia, reducing treatment toxicities, alleviating pain and opioid side effects, and relieving fatigue. This strategy enhances quality of life and treatment tolerance, offering new insights into integrative supportive oncology.
