[Effect of traditional Chinese medicine on quality of life and survival period in patients with progressive gastric cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on quality of life (QOF) and survival period in patients with progressive gastric cancer, and thus exploring its clinical efficacy.


METHODS
TCM therapy applied in the 34 patients assigned in the TCM group (Group I ) included intravenous injection of Cinobufotalin, beta-elemene, or orally taking of anti-cancer Chinese herbs. The same TCM was also applied in the 36 of the combined treatment group (Group II), but in combined use of FOLFOX chemotherapeutic protocol. Twenty-one days was taken as one cycle and all the patients received 2 cycles of treatment.


RESULTS
The median survival period in group II was 31 months, while it was 30 months in group I; the 1-, 2-, 3-year survival rates in group II were 88.89%, 84.38% and 59.26%, and those in the group I were 82.35%, 71.43% and 65.00%, respectively with insignificant difference between the two groups (chi2 = 0.298, P > 0.05); QOF in group I was significantly superior to that in group II (P < 0.05), and the adverse reaction occurrence was significantly less in Group I than that in group II.


CONCLUSIONS
Chinese medicine treatment can improve the QOF and prolong the survival period of patients with progressive gastric cancer with few side effects.
Liu
Xin
X
Department of Tumor, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing.
Hua
Bao-jin
BJ
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002018:Bufanolides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
D002018:Bufanolides; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C445979:beta-elemene; C063451:cinobufotalin