Treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with Chinese herbal medicine by stages combined with chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To observe the effect of Chinese herbal medicine by stages combined with chemotherapy in treating patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of stage III or IV. METHODS: Adopting prospective, randomized, controlled, multi-centered trial design, 121 patients enrolled were assigned to the treatment group (n = 65) and the control group (n = 56). All the patients were randomized to receive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy and Chinese herbal medicine combined (Kangliuzengxiao decoction during chemotherapy and Feiyanning decoction after chemotherapy). The main outcome measures were survival time, Karnofsky score, main clinical symptoms, and adverse reactions. RESULTS: Five patients discontinued from the trial due to oral administration of Iressa after disease progression or other reasons, and 116 patients were evaluable for clinical efficacy with 63 in the treatment group and 53 in the control group. The overall response rate were 15.87% vs. 7.55% (P = 0.170), and the disease control rate were 85.71% vs. 71.70% in the treatment and control group (P = 0.063), respectively. The median survival time was 16.17 months vs. 12.00 months in the treatment and control group (P = 0.165), respectively. In addition, adverse reactions such as leucopenia in the treatment group were less than those in the control group (P = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: Chinese herbal medicine combined with chemotherapy showed favorable effect in improving quality of life and prolonging survival time on patients with advanced NSCLC.

[Dual regulation of cell cycles by Shuanghuang Shengbai Granule in Lewis-bearing mice with chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression and its mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the dual regulatory effects of Shuanghuang Shengbai Granule, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on cell cycle in Lewis-bearing mice with chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression. METHODS: Thrity Lewis-bearing mice were randomly divided into control group, untreated group and treated group. A model of myelosuppression was established by peritoneal injection of cyclophosphamide to Lewis-bearing mice. Mice in the treated group were treated with Shuanghaung Shengbai Granule for 6 days. Cell cycle progressions of cells collected from bone marrow and tumor tissues were assayed by flow cytometry, and proliferation index (PI) was also calculated. Expressions of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) and cyclin D1 in bone marrow and tumor tissues were detected by Western blotting and immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: Percentages of bone marrow and tumor cells in G0/G1 phase in the untreated group were lower than those in the control group; however, the PI of untreated group was higher than that of the control group. The expressions of CDK4, CDK6 and cyclin D1 in bone marrow and tumor tissues in the untreated group were increased as compared with the control group. Compared with the untreated group and the control group, the percentage of bone marrow cells in G0/G1 phase was decreased, and the PI of bone marrow cells and the expressions of CDK4, CDK6 and cyclin D1 were increased in bone marrow in the treated group. However, the percentage of tumor cells in G0/G1 phase in the treated group was increased, and the PI of tumor cells and the expressions of CDK4, CDK6 and cyclin D1 in tumor tissues were decreased as compared with the untreated and control groups. CONCLUSION: Shuanghuang Shengbai Granule may have a function of cell cycle dual regulation in Lewis-bearing mice with chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression by regulating the expressions of CDK4, CDK6 and cyclin D1 in bone marrow and tumor tissues.

[Clinical study on treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with Chinese herbal medicine in different stages combined with chemotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of staged Chinese herbal medicinal therapy combined with chemotherapy in treating patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of stage III or IV. METHODS: Adopting prospective randomized controlled multi-centered method, the 116 patients enrolled were assigned to the treated group (n = 60) and the control group (n = 56). The control group was treated by chemotherapy alone, while the treated group treated by chemotherapy combined with Chinese herbal medicine, i.e. Kangliu Zengxiao Decoction (KLZX) was administered in the chemotherapy stage, followed with Feiyanning Decoction (FYN) in the stage after ending the chemotherapy. The survival time, Karnofsky score, main clinical symptoms and adverse reactions, etc. were observed. RESULTS: The median survival time was 15.57 months in the treated group, which was higher than that in the control group (11.17 months, P< 0.01). The improvements in tumor related symptoms such as fatigue, dyspnea, etc. in the treated group were better than those in the control group (P <0.05). In addition, adverse reactions such as leucopenia, digestive reaction (such as nausea and vomiting) in the treated group were less than those in the control group (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Chinese herbal medicine combined with chemotherapy shows favorable effect in improving quality of life and prolonging survival time on patients with advanced NSCLC.

[Experimental study of Qiyeling Decoction inducing apoptosis of transplanted human lung adenocarcinoma cells A549 in nude mice].

OBJECTIVE: To study the function of Qiyeling Decoction in inducing apoptosis of transplanted human lung adenocarcinoma cells A549 in nude mice. METHODS: Nude mice with transplanted A549 tumor were randomly divided into the untreated control group (group A), chemotherapy treated group (group B), chemotherapy plus Qiyeling Decoction treated group (group C), Qiyeling Decoction treated group (group D) and managed correspondingly. The tumor volume was measured and calculated into tumor weight. The apoptosis of tumor cells were examined using in situ cell apoptosis detection kit. RESULTS: The tumor weight was lower obviously in groups B, C and D than that in group A (P<0.05). The apoptosis of tumor cells was lower obviously in groups B, and C than that in group D (P<0.05). Cells in group A appeared perfect differentiation during the early stage and apoptosis later. CONCLUSION: Qiyeling Decoction can induce A549 cell apoptosis in nude mice.