Mechanistic insights into the role of traditional Chinese medicine in treating gastric cancer
Gastric cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with advanced stages presenting significant challenges due to metastasis and drug resistance. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a promising complementary approach characterized by holistic treatment principles and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Oncology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2024.1443686/full |
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| author | Ziqiang Chen Ting Yu Yunhe Wang Jiaxin Li Bo Zhang Liya Zhou |
| author_facet | Ziqiang Chen Ting Yu Yunhe Wang Jiaxin Li Bo Zhang Liya Zhou |
| author_sort | Ziqiang Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Gastric cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with advanced stages presenting significant challenges due to metastasis and drug resistance. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a promising complementary approach characterized by holistic treatment principles and minimal side effects. This review comprehensively explores the multifaceted mechanisms by which TCM addresses gastric cancer. Specifically, we detail how TCM inhibits aerobic glycolysis by downregulating key glycolytic enzymes and metabolic pathways, thereby reducing the energy supply essential for cancer cell proliferation. We examine how TCM suppresses angiogenesis by targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) pathways, effectively starving tumors of nutrients and oxygen required for growth and metastasis. Furthermore, TCM modulates the immune microenvironment by enhancing the activity of effector immune cells such as CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells while reducing immunosuppressive cells like regulatory T cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). These actions collectively contribute to slowing tumor progression, inhibiting metastasis, and enhancing the body’s antitumor response. The insights presented underscore the significant potential of TCM as an integral component of comprehensive gastric cancer treatment strategies, highlighting avenues for future research and clinical application to improve patient outcomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0790e013ea2d4fe1a10373581fbc39a9 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2234-943X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Oncology |
| spelling | doaj-art-0790e013ea2d4fe1a10373581fbc39a92025-01-21T05:43:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2025-01-011410.3389/fonc.2024.14436861443686Mechanistic insights into the role of traditional Chinese medicine in treating gastric cancerZiqiang Chen0Ting Yu1Yunhe Wang2Jiaxin Li3Bo Zhang4Liya Zhou5College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaDepartment of Rheumatism, Third Affiliated Clinical Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaDepartment of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Gastroenterology, Third Affiliated Clinical Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaChangchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaChangchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaGastric cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with advanced stages presenting significant challenges due to metastasis and drug resistance. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers a promising complementary approach characterized by holistic treatment principles and minimal side effects. This review comprehensively explores the multifaceted mechanisms by which TCM addresses gastric cancer. Specifically, we detail how TCM inhibits aerobic glycolysis by downregulating key glycolytic enzymes and metabolic pathways, thereby reducing the energy supply essential for cancer cell proliferation. We examine how TCM suppresses angiogenesis by targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) pathways, effectively starving tumors of nutrients and oxygen required for growth and metastasis. Furthermore, TCM modulates the immune microenvironment by enhancing the activity of effector immune cells such as CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells while reducing immunosuppressive cells like regulatory T cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). These actions collectively contribute to slowing tumor progression, inhibiting metastasis, and enhancing the body’s antitumor response. The insights presented underscore the significant potential of TCM as an integral component of comprehensive gastric cancer treatment strategies, highlighting avenues for future research and clinical application to improve patient outcomes.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2024.1443686/fulltraditional Chinese medicine (TCM)gastric canceraerobic glycolysisanti-angiogenesistumor microenvironmentimmunomodulation |
| spellingShingle | Ziqiang Chen Ting Yu Yunhe Wang Jiaxin Li Bo Zhang Liya Zhou Mechanistic insights into the role of traditional Chinese medicine in treating gastric cancer Frontiers in Oncology traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) gastric cancer aerobic glycolysis anti-angiogenesis tumor microenvironment immunomodulation |
| title | Mechanistic insights into the role of traditional Chinese medicine in treating gastric cancer |
| title_full | Mechanistic insights into the role of traditional Chinese medicine in treating gastric cancer |
| title_fullStr | Mechanistic insights into the role of traditional Chinese medicine in treating gastric cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mechanistic insights into the role of traditional Chinese medicine in treating gastric cancer |
| title_short | Mechanistic insights into the role of traditional Chinese medicine in treating gastric cancer |
| title_sort | mechanistic insights into the role of traditional chinese medicine in treating gastric cancer |
| topic | traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) gastric cancer aerobic glycolysis anti-angiogenesis tumor microenvironment immunomodulation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2024.1443686/full |
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