The efficacy of prophylactic Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to for myalgia and arthralgia following carboplatin and paclitaxel combination chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.
BACKGROUND
To assess the efficacy of Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to, a Japanese herbal medicine, for prophylaxis against paclitaxel-induced myalgia and arthralgia, a comparative study was conducted with 50 patients treated with carboplatin and paclitaxel.


METHODS
Patients were alternatively assigned to receive either the intervention group (with Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to) or the control group (without Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to). We assessed the grade and the duration of myalgia and arthralgia.


RESULTS
The grades of myalgia and arthralgia in the control group were significantly higher than the grades determined in the intervention group (p = 0.018). The mean duration of myalgia and arthralgia was 2.78 +/- 2.09 days for the intervention group and 5.08 +/- 2.89 days for the control group. The duration was significantly shorter in the intervention group than in the control group (p = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that prophylactic administration of Shakuyaku-Kanzo-to was effective against paclitaxel-induced myalgia and arthralgia.
Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Gifu Municipal Hospital, 7-1 Kashima town, Gifu, Gifu, Japan. tutomu01@hotmail.com
Tsutomu
T
Yoshida
Toshiyuki
T
Sawa
Takashi
T
Ishiguro
Akane
A
Horiba
Shinya
S
Minatoguchi
Hisayoshi
H
Fujiwara
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel