Research and innovative exploration of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine in preventing and treating gastric "inflammatory cancer transformation"

The development of intestinal-type gastric cancer follows a progression from non-atrophic gastritis — atrophic gastritis — intestinal metaplasia — epithelial dysplasia — gastric cancer, known as the "inflammation-cancer transformation. " Leveraging the advantages of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine, while collaborating to inhibit this transformation, remains a research focus and challenge. The incidence of gastric cancer in China has declined with the continuous elucidation of the mechanisms behind inflammation-cancer transformation, innovations in early screening and diagnosis techniques in Western medicine, the establishment of risk stratification and treatment systems, and effective interventions through traditional Chinese medicine. Leveraging the theoretical and practical advantages of the "preventing disease before it occurs" philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine, particularly the concept of "preventing transformation in existing diseases, " is essential. This approach emphasizes shifting the focus of prevention and treatment to earlier stages of disease progression. Developing more effective and reliable strategies and innovative drugs that block the dynamic progression of the "inflammation-cancer transformation" in gastric cancer remains a key goal. This article reviews the latest progress in both basic and clinical research in this field, the issues related to high-level clinical research in traditional Chinese medicine, the construction of integrated diagnosis and treatment pathways combining Chinese and Western medicine, the establishment of efficacy evaluation standards, and the elucidation of the integration mechanisms of the complex system of traditional Chinese medicine. It also explores research directions and solutions within the context of multidisciplinary collaboration to provide insights and references to block inflammation-cancer transformation and to construct a gastric cancer prevention and control system with Chinese characteristics, thereby further enhancing the level of gastric cancer prevention and control.