Value of Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome differentiation in predicting the survival time of patients with advanced cancer.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively study the accuracy of the palliative prognostic index (PPI) survival prediction model combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation. METHODS: The PPI survival prediction model was used to predict survival time. Patients' real survival time was recorded. The survival time was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the logrank method was used to test the difference. RESULTS: The average PPI survival prediction score of 227 patients was 5.83 (95% CI 5.29-6.37). There was a significant difference in the real-life period between the different PPI groups (P < 0.05). PPI group I (predicted survival of > 6 weeks) showed the highest predictive sensitivity and PPI group II (predicted survival of 3-6 weeks) showed the highest predictive specificity. According to TCM syndrome differentiation, 82 cases (36% ) were diagnosed with liver and kidney Yin deficiency (type IV). The actual survival time of type IV patients was significantly shorter than that of other types of patients (mean 21.85 vs 28.70, P = 0.007). In group I, the median survival time of type IV patients and other types was 25 and 34 d, respectively (P < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of PPI prediction were improved in group II by TCM syndrome differentiation. For patients in group III whose predicted survival time was < 3 weeks, the specificity of PPI survival prediction was higher in type IV patients. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the PPI predictive tool for survival rate has important value. TCM syndrome differentiation and typing has certain significance for further classification and survival prediction.