Professor LIU Shenlin believes that syndrome of unregulated liver and spleen is frequently seen after surgery for gastric cancer. On the one hand

due to liver qi stagnation

qi cannot move fluid and transport blood

and then cause accumulation of phlegm and stasis; on the other hand

spleen deficiency fails to transport

and deficient body is vulnerable to evil invasion. The spleen deficiency and liver depression affect each other. In view of the characteristics of the syndrome of unregulated liver and spleen in patients with postoperative gastric cancer

the balance of the middle jiao was restored by using the method of inhibiting wood and strengthening earth. The treatment of the symptoms was from qi stagnation

and focused on regulating the liver. The treatment of root causes focused on invigorating the spleen to reinforce the vital qi. When choosing the medicinals of invigorating the spleen

the herbs of tonifying qi and yin

soft and moisturizing were preferred. When treating the liver

herbs of regulating qi is often used in combination with the herbs of activating blood

eliminating symptoms and dissipating the mass

so as to keep orderly ascending and descending of the middle jiao and prevent recurrence and metastasis.