Integrative Management of Chemotherapy-Related Fatigue in Lung Cancer Patients with the Traditional Chinese Medicine Guiqi Erxian.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To observe the efficacy of Guiqi Erxian granule on chemotherapy-related fatigue in patients with lung cancer treated with chemotherapy. Methods: A total of 76 lung cancer patients with chemotherapy-related fatigue as the main symptom from January 2017 to May 2018 were enrolled and randomly divided into a control group and a treatment group, n = 38/group. The patients in the control group received chemotherapy and basic treatment. The patients in the treatment group received oral Guiqi Erxian granule 20 g each time, three times daily, in addition to the chemotherapy and basic treatment. The brief fatigue inventory (BFI) scale, Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS), chronic illness therapy fatigue scale, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom scale were evaluated on 1 day before treatment, and on day 7 and day 14 of treatment. Adverse reactions were observed and recorded. Results: Compared to the control group, the total score and scores of each dimension of the BFI and CFS decreased in the treatment group; the effect on fatigue severity and fatigue impact scores in the BFI scale, and the emotional and physical dimension scores in the CFS were improved significantly (P < .05). Compared to the control group, except for the social/family well-being, the scores in the other dimensions of the chronic illness therapy-fatigue scale improved significantly (P < .05). Compared to the control group, the TCM syndrome score in the treatment group decreased significantly (P < .05). Conclusion: Guiqi Erxian granules can improve chemotherapy-related fatigue and quality of life in lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, with no obvious side effects, and can be explored as a potential treatment.