Abstract
Objective
To evaluate the efficacy and side effects of combined Chinese drugs and chemotherapy in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Methods
Sixty-three patients with stage III B and IV NSCLC hospitalized from October 2001 to October 2008 were enrolled and assigned to two groups using a randomizing digital table, with 33 patients in the treatment group and 30 in the control group. They were all treated with the Navelbine and Cisplatin (NP) chemotherapy, but to the treatment group the Chinese drugs Shengmai Injection (生脉注射液) by intravenous dripping and Gujin Granule (固金颗粒冲剂) by oral intake were given additionally. The main observation indexes were response rate (RR), median survival time, 1-year survival rate and median time to progression (TTP); secondary observation indexes were side effects and cycles of chemotherapy.
Results
Altogether, 61 patients (33 from the treatment group and 28 from the control group) completed the observation and were assessable. RR was 48.5% (16/33) in the treatment group and 32.2% (9/28) in the control group, and the median survival time were 13 months and 9 months, respectively; the difference between the two groups was significant (P=0.0373 and P=0.014 respectively). However, the differences between groups were insignificant in terms of 1-year survival rate [51.5% (17/33) vs 46.4% (13/28), P=0.4042], median TTP (5.95 months vs 4.64 months, P=0.3242), grade III or IV bone marrow inhibition occurrence rate [33.3% (11/33) vs 39.3% (11/28), P=0.3500], and mean cycles of chemotherapy applied (2.94±0.94 cycles vs 2.75±0.75 cycles, P=0.4100).
Conclusion
Combined Chinese drugs and chemotherapy can enhance the short-term therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of NSCLC and prolong patients’ median survival time, but show no evident impact on TTP.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Sun Y. The pathogenesis, prevention, early diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer. China Med Tribune 2004;30:13.
Gebbia V, Galetta D, Caruso M, Verderame F, Pezzella G, Valdesi M, et al. Gemcitabine and cisplatin versus vinorelbine and cisplatin versus ifosfamide + gemcitabine followed by vinorelbine and cisplatin versus vinorelbine and cisplatin followed by ifosfamide and gemcitabine in stage IIIB–IV non small cell lung carcinoma: a prospective randomized phase III trial of the Gruppo Oncologico Italia Meridionale. Lung Cancer 2003;39:179–189.
Sun Y, ed. Medical oncology. Beijng: People’s Medical Publishing House; 2001:645–649.
Liu YX, Chen JH, eds. Internal medicine of traditional Chinese medicine. Beijng: People’s Medical Publishing House; 2001:77–80.
Scagliotti GV, De Marinis F, Rinaldi M, Crinò L, Gridelli C, Ricci S, et al. Phase III randomized trial comparing three platinum-based doublets in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. J Clin Oncol 2002;20:4285–4291.
Therasse P, Arbuck SG, Eisenhauer EA, Wanders J, Kaplan RS, Rubinstein L, et al. New guidelines to evaluate the response to treatment in solid tumors. European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, National Cancer Institute of the United States, National Cancer Institute of Canada. J Natl Cancer Inst 2000;92:205–216.
Shen MH, Ruan SM, Lu N, Chen Z. Discussion on treating lung cancer based on supplementing qi and nourishing yin. Chin Arch Tradit Chin Med (Chin) 2009;27:254–256.
Le Chevalier T, Brisgand D, Douillard JY, Pujol JL, Alberola V, Monnier A, et al. Randomized study of vinorebline and cisplatin versus vindesine and cisplatin versus vinorebline alone in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: results of a European multicenter trial including 612 patients. Clin Oncol 1994;12:360–367.
Chen YZ, Li PP, Sun H, Guo QZ. Therapeutic effect of chemotherapy scheme relying mainly on navelbine in treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Chin J Clin Oncol (Chin) 2001;28:270–272.
Liu LS, Liu JX, Li CJ, Tian JH, Shi ZM. Clinical effect of Yiqi Yangyin Jiedu Decoction in treating patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Chin J Integr Tradit West Med (Chin) 2008;28:352–355.
Cao Y, Yuan SH, Qiao ZB, Xiao L, Guo WW. Clinical study of Yiqi Yangyin Recipe combined with chemtheray in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Chin J Basic Med Tradit Chin Med (Chin) 2003;9:32–33,35.
Wu MN, Liu XY, Fang J, Wang JJ, An TT. Vinorelbine combined with cisplatin in advanced stage non-small-cell lung cancer. China Oncol (Chin) 2004;14:184–186.
Lin HS. Clinical study of Chinese medicine in the management of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. In: Song SP, ed. Educational volume of China clinical oncology. Qingdao: China Ocean University Press; 2005:49–56.
Shu QJ, Wu LC. Experimental research on treatment of cancer with “Xinjiashashenmaidong Decoction”. Chin J Basic Med Tradit Chin Med (Chin) 2002;8:34–36.
Zhou DH, Lin LZ, Zhou YQ, Luo RC, Liu KF, Jia YJ, et al. Analysis of short-term therapeutic efficacy of integrated traditional and Western medicine in treating non-small cell lung cancer. Chin J Integr Tradit West Med (Chin) 2005;25:1061–1065.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Supported by the Grant from Project of Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Bureau (No. JJ2001-12)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chen, Yz., Li, Zd., Gao, F. et al. Effects of combined Chinese drugs and chemotherapy in treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 15, 415–419 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-009-0415-2
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-009-0415-2