Hu Kaiwen's Experience in Treating Pancreatic Cancer Based on the Theory of"Ascending Lucidity and Descending Turbidity"
ZHANG Mohan
HU Kaiwen
SUN Jingyi
WANG Xiaofan
WANG Jingxiao
YU Xin
Abstract：Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the digestive system.Its advanced stage is mainly characterized by clinical manifestations such as jaundice,ascites,and emaciation,with a low cure rate,posing significant harm to human health.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has demonstrated effectiveness and safety in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.Professor Hu Kaiwen,based on the theory of"ascending lucidity and descending turbidity",proposed the TCM pathogenesis of"imbalance of the clear and turbid"in pancreatic cancer.By focusing on the"relationship between the pancreas and spleen"in visceral manifestation theory,he analyzed the disease location,progression,and characteristics of deficiency and excess in pancreatic cancer from the perspectives of morphology and function.This clarified the pathogenic process of pancreatic cancer:"stagnation of the clear and turbid in the middle energizer,with the clear relying on the turbid as its foundation and the turbid depending on the clear as its guide,eventually transforming into cancer toxin over time".Drawing on modern medical research,he innovatively combined"rebuilding the circulation of the clear and turbid"with"tumor microenvironment regulation".Ultimately,he proposed a staged TCM diagnosis and treatment strategy:"In the acute phase,pathogenic excess predominates,focusing on expelling pathogens to unblock stagnation and clear the middle energizer";"In the chronic phase,deficiency of healthy Qi predominates,focusing on fortifying the middle energizer,supporting healthy Qi,regulating the spleen,and promoting upward movement";"In the latent phase,pathogens are hidden while healthy Qi is not yet restored,focusing on restoring the clear and turbid and rebuilding their circulation".This approach enriches the application scope of the theory of"ascending lucidity and descending turbidity",provides new perspectives for clinical treatment strategies for pancreatic cancer,and paves a new path for the organic integration of traditional Chinese medicine and modern medicine.
Keywords：Pancreatic cancerAscending lucidity and descending turbidityStaged diagnosis and treatmentClinical experience
Publication Date：2026-02-28
Online Publishing Date：2026-03-13(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 385-389 )