title: [Effect of chang'ai kangfu decoction on immunity in postoperational patients with large intestine cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of Chinese drug Chang'ai Kangfu decoction (CAKF) on immunity in post-operational patients with large intestine cancer (LIC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight patients with LIC in Dukes' B, C stage after operation were randomly assigned to 3 groups, the CAKF group (16 cases), chemotherapy group (17 cases) and combination therapy (CAKF plus chemotherapy) group (15 cases). 5-FU and mitomycin C were given to the chemotherapy group. The dynamic changes of T-lymphocyte subsets, NK cells and immunoglobulins were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before operation, the CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ and the activity of NK cells in LIC patients were lower, but CD8+ was higher than that of normal level (P < 0.01), which indicated that cellular immunity in LIC was in immunosuppressive state, they all further reduced 1 week after operation, particularly CD3+ cell counts, but CD3+, CD4+ and the activity of NK cells normalized 1 month after operation in CAKF group, and 2 months were needed to normalize in combination therapy group. Both groups recovered to a certain extent in comparing with before treatment, but the chemotherapy group recovered slower. The similar results appeared in humoral immunity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CAKF could obviously increase the immunity in LIC patients after operation.
authors.affiliation: Anorectal Department, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing (100053).
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D000368:Aged; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal