Objective This study aimed to explore the effect of the “sequential three-stage” Chinese medicine intervention scheme on the regulation of the inflammatory microenvironment and quality of life of patients after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer. Methods From January 2021 to December 2024, 90 patients with early gastric cancer in our hospital were selected as research samples and randomly assigned to the observation group or the control group by random number table method, with 45 patients in each group. The control group received routine follow-up and omeprazole (20 mg) daily. Based on the postoperative pathophysiological evolution law and the consensus of clinical experience of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the observation group received “sequential three-stage” acupuncture combined with medicine treatment. The clinical efficacy, TCM syndrome scores (stomachache, anorexia, fatigue, belching, and loose stool), inflammatory factors interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and intestinal flora ( Lactobacillus , Bifidobacterium , Enterococcus faecalis , large intestine) were compared between the two groups. Results A statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups ( P 0.05). Conclusion For patients with early gastric cancer after ESD operation, the “sequential three-stage” acupuncture and medication combined treatment has an obvious curative effect, which can effectively reduce the TCM syndrome score and inflammatory factor level, optimize the intestinal microbial environment, and improve the quality of life of patients. At the same time, it has no obvious negative effect on the survival time of patients, and it is safe and worthy of further clinical attention and application.
Cheng et al. (Mon,) studied this question.