title: Can Kampo therapy prolong the life of cancer patients?
abstract: Our policy regarding the performance of radiotherapy to squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix has not changed since 1969. We have already reported the treatment results which were as good as those from other institutions. Since 1978, Kampo therapy was first introduced in the treatment of cancer patients in dealing with problems such as the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and various types of general malaise. We analyzed our treatment results in order to re-evaluate the chemo-radiotherapy in combination with Kampo. Survival rates for 5, 10 and 15 years, respectively, were 90.9%, 71.6% and 71.6% for Stage IB, 78.9%, 61.8% and 41.8% for Stage II, 62.3%, 49.1% and 41.2% for Stage III and 53.1%, 36.5% and 16.7% for Stage IV. The Kampo significantly extended the survival of patients with uterine cervical cancer. We intend to perform further research with more patients to explore how this therapy contributes to the prolonging of patients survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, The University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takegawa
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikushima
authors.forename: Kyousuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furutani
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawanaka
authors.forename: Takaharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kudoh
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020835:Medicine, Kampo; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal