Clinical Effects of Xihuang Pill Combined with Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Colorectal Cancer.

ABSTRACT

Objective. To investigate the therapeutic effects of Xihuang pill combined with chemotherapy on advanced colorectal cancer. Methods. Sixty-three patients with advanced colorectal cancer were divided into an experimental group (n = 32) and control group (n = 31). Patients in the experimental group were treated with traditional Chinese medicine combined with Western medicine (i.e., Xihuang pill with FOLFOX or FOLFIRI chemotherapy), and those in the control group were treated with FOLFOX or FOLFIRI chemotherapy alone. Changes in therapeutic efficacy, side effects, blood coagulation function, and quality of life (QOL) were compared between the two groups. Results. The response rate was higher in the experimental than control group (P = 0.011). The QOL score in the experimental group was significantly lower after treatment than before treatment (P = 0.003), while no significant change was found in the control group. In the experimental group, the posttreatment activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time after treatment were 30.05 ± 3.85 and 10.40 ± 1.25 s, respectively, which were prolonged compared with those before treatment (29.12 ± 4.03 and 9.85 ± 1.00 s; P = 0.010 and 0.021, respectively). Conclusion. In patients with advanced colorectal cancer, Xihuang pill combined with chemotherapy can significantly enhance the therapeutic effects compared with chemotherapy alone and improve patients' QOL and hypercoagulability.