Exploration on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Esophageal Carcinoma from the Perspective of "Failure of Spleen and Kidney Warming，Internal Accumulation of Phlegm-Toxin" Based on Lipid Metabolism Disorder-Mediated Tumor Microenvironmental Imbalance
10.13288/j.11-2166/r.2026.15.006
- VernacularTitle:基于“脾肾失煦，痰毒内蕴”的食管癌微观病理机制及治法探析
- Author:
Shangfeng YUE
1
;
Jiafan CHEN-YUAN
1
;
Xuyang LIU
1
;
Yaxing LI
1
;
Hongzhen YIN
2
;
Shaobo HU
2
;
Ying SU
2
;
Jie LI
1
Author Information
1. School of Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Medicine，Inner Mongolia Medical University，Hohhot，010050
2. Inner Mongolia Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
esophageal carcinoma;
failure of spleen and kidney warming;
internal accumulation of phlegm-toxin;
lipid metabolism;
tumor microenvironment
- From:
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2026;67(15):1613-1617
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Based on the modern understanding that lipid metabolism disorders mediate tumor microenvironmental imbalance in esophageal carcinoma， this paper proposes that failure of spleen and kidney warming and internal accumulation of phlegm-toxin constitute the core pathogenesis of esophageal carcinoma. Deficiency of spleen and kidney yang qi serves as the root cause， while impaired transformation and transportation of lipids and the accumulation of phlegm-toxin represent the superficial manifestations. Phlegm originates from the transformation of lipids， while toxin arises from and attaches to phlegm. Their interaction forms a sticky and persistent pathological state that runs throughout the entire disease process. The evolution of pathogenesis follows a dynamic and progressive pattern. In the early stage， failure of spleen and kidney warming and dysfunction of lipid metabolism mediate abnormalities in a lipid-enriched microenvironment； in the middle stage， lipid turbidity condenses into phlegm， and phlegm-toxin stasis promotes the formation of an inflammatory and hypercoagulable microenvironment； in the late stage， dysfunction of the sanjiao （三焦） warming function and impaired qi transformation lead to an imbalance in the hypoxic and metabolically dysfunctional microenvironment. Accordingly， a staged therapeutic approach is proposed， including warming the kidney and strengthening the spleen， transforming phlegm and resolving toxin， and warming and unblocking the sanjiao. By regulating lipid metabolism to restore tumor microenvironmental homeostasis， this approach provides a new theore-tical perspective and practical strategy for the intervention of esophageal cancer progression through traditional Chinese medicine.
