The Efficacy of Long-Term Chinese Herbal Medicine Use on Lung Cancer Survival Time: A Retrospective Two-Center Cohort Study with Propensity Score Matching.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy of long-term use of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on survival time of lung cancer. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on lung cancer patients. A propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to balance the covariates. Progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary endpoint and overall survival (OS) was the secondary endpoint. Patients who received CHM therapy from the initial date of diagnosis of lung cancer were included in the CHM group. Patients who were not treated with CHM during the same interval were categorized in the control group. A Cox regression model was used to explore the prognostic factors related to lung cancer. Hazard ratios of different subgroups were also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 1134 patients were included in our study: 761 patients were in the CHM group and 373 patients were in the control group. After PSM, the mPFS and mOS in the CHM group were 70.4 months and 129.1 months, respectively, while the mPFS and mOS in the control group were 23.8 months and 99.7 months, respectively. The results of survival analysis on each stage demonstrated that patients may benefit from the long-term CHM treatment especially for patients with early stage. One-year to ten-year progression-free survival rates in the CHM group were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.001). COX multivariate regression analysis indicated that CHM treatment, female, low age at diagnosis, early tumor stage, and surgery were independent protective factors against recurrence and metastasis of lung cancer. Subgroup analysis showed that CHM treatment could reduce the risk of recurrence and metastasis in each subgroup (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Long-term CHM treatment with the Fuzheng Quxie Formula, which can be flexibly applied in the course of lung cancer treatment, not only has a positive influence on the progression-free survival time of lung cancer patients, but also reduces the risk of recurrence and metastasis of lung cancer.

Effects of Sisheng Decoction on the immunity and anti-stress function in mice with spleen deficiency syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To study the possible mechanism of Sisheng Decoction on spleen deficiency syndrome via the observation of general conditions, immunity and anti-stress function in Dahuang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei Palmati)-induced mice model. METHODS: Mice were randomized and grouped based on the body weight. The establishment of model and the treatment were done simultaneously. Except the mice in normal group, the decoction and the Dahuang powder were separately given in the morning and the afternoon for 14 d. The general condition of the mice, the rectal temperature, the time of burden swimming, the indexes of thymus and spleen and the interleukin-2 (IL-2) concentration in the serum were observed. RESULTS: The group treated with Sisheng Decoction showed better performance than that of the model group, including less stool, strong appetite and fast growth; the medium- and high-dose Sisheng Decoction increased the rectal temperature of mice. There was no statistical difference in the thymus and spleen indexes between the groups treated by Sisheng Decoction and the normal group (P>0.05). The thymus index in groups treated by sisheng Decoction was significantly elevated as compared with the model group (P<0.05). The medium- and high-dose Sisheng Decoction significantly improved the concentration of IL-2 and prolonged the time of burden swimming, as compared to the model group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The medium- and high-dose Sisheng Decoction is good at invigorating spleen and replenishing qi. One of the possible mechanisms may be related with the improvement of the immunity and anti-stress function of the body.

[Effects of Sisheng Decoction on spontaneous activity and serum concentration of malondialdehyde in mice with yin deficiency syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the therapeutic effects of Sisheng Decoction, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on a mouse model of yin deficiency syndrome induced by thyroid hormone, and to make the preliminary study on its mechanisms. METHODS: Simultaneous modeling and treatment were carried out. Sixty mice were randomly divided into six groups: normal group, yin deficiency model group, low-, medium- and high-dose Sisheng Decoction group and Shengmai oral liquid group. Normal group and yin deficiency model group were administered with double distilled water. Spontaneous activity and serum concentration of malondialdehyde in different groups were detected. RESULTS: The symptoms of yin deficiency syndrome such as xerostomia, dysphoria and fervescence were improved in the Sisheng Decoction groups. Compared with the yin deficiency model group, the spontaneous activity was increased and the serum concentration of malondialdehyde was decreased in the Sisheng Decoction groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the Sisheng Decoction groups and the Shengmai oral liquid group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Medium- or high-dose Sisheng Decoction is effective for nourishing yin, clearing heat, engendering liquid and allaying thirst. The above effects of Sisheng Decoction may be realised by improving the spontaneous activity and resisting oxidative damage.

[Progress on research and application of traditional Chinese medicine in intervention treatment of primary liver carcinoma].

Status of research and application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in intervention treatment of primary liver carcinoma in the latest three years was reviewed in this paper. The effects of TCM combining interventional therapy mainly embodied in three aspects: the anti-tumor action, the effects for treatment of embolism syndrome and the effects for preventing and treating recurrence and metastasis. And the keystone in further researches was also pointed out, it should be focused on anti-angiogenesis of tumor by TCM for better preventive and therapeutic effects on post-intervention recurrence and metastasis.