BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is expected to play a bigger role in meeting people's ever-growing demand for health, as China deepens medical and healthcare system reform, an expert said.

The State Council, China's cabinet, on Tuesday released a document specifying priorities in medical and healthcare system reform in 2019. The directive called for efforts to inherit and develop the TCM, and stressed innovation during the process.

TCM can play a leading role in the preventive treatment of disease and a key role in recovery, said Feng Li, a professor with the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

"The TCM is effective in treating pre-cancerous lesions, and can also enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy or surgeries, as well as enhance patients' immunity during postoperative rehabilitation," Feng said.

Tuesday's document also called for more efforts in piloting the integration of TCM and western medicine in clinical practice to treat serious and major diseases.

China has been piloting the integration mode since 2018, hoping to explore new methods to treat serious and major diseases.

More efforts are needed to give full play to the roles of the TCM in treating such diseases, according to Feng.

The scientific research and standardization of the TCM is relatively weak in China, said Feng, adding that research institutions in universities and hospitals should set up more standardized laboratories on the integration mode.