Review of traditional Chinese and western medicine interventions for emotional issues in cancer patients from the perspective of "same treatment of form and spirit"

FENG Xinyue, WANG Jianjun

Journal of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation ›› 2026, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (3) : 210-218.

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Journal of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation ›› 2026, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (3) : 210-218. DOI: 10.12022/jnnr.2026-0114
Review

Review of traditional Chinese and western medicine interventions for emotional issues in cancer patients from the perspective of "same treatment of form and spirit"

  • FENG Xinyue1, WANG Jianjun2
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Abstract

The intertwined somatic damage and psychological distress induced by malignant tumors severely compromise patient prognosis. Currently, the construction of psychological intervention models in oncology that both meet modern evidence-based requirements and align with local cultural contexts has become an important endeavor in integrative oncology. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory of “unity of body and mind” (Xing-Shen He Yi) emphasizes the dynamic coupling of the soma and psyche, which highly aligns with modern psychosomatic medicine and the mechanisms of brain-body interaction. From the perspective of integrative medicine, this review systematically delineates the pathogenesis of tumor-related emotional disorders from both TCM and Western medicine, alongside the syndrome differentiation framework of “five Zang-organs storing spirit” (Wu Zang Cang Shen). Furthermore, it explores the organic integration of TCM clinical pathways with modern stepped-care management models. By systematically elucidating non-pharmacological interventions—including TCM psychological therapies, Five-Element music therapy, acupuncture, and auricular vagus neuromodulation—integrated with modern psychotherapeutic techniques, this paper constructs a comprehensive integrative intervention strategy spanning the entire disease trajectory: diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and hospice care. Ultimately, this review aims to provide a novel treatment paradigm with local cultural characteristics for modern psycho-oncology.

Key words

Tumor / Simultaneous treatment of body and mind / Emotional dysregulation / Integrative medicine / Whole-course management

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FENG Xinyue, WANG Jianjun. Review of traditional Chinese and western medicine interventions for emotional issues in cancer patients from the perspective of "same treatment of form and spirit"[J]. Journal of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation. 2026, 22(3): 210-218 https://doi.org/10.12022/jnnr.2026-0114

Funding

1. Guangdong Medical Science Foundation (A2020370)
2. Youth Project of Shenzhen Medical Research Special Fund (A2403052)
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