Clinical observation on treatment of colonic cancer with combined treatment of chemotherapy and Chinese herbal medicine.
OBJECTIVE
To observe the clinical effect of combined chemotherapy and Chinese herbal medicine in treating colonic cancer.


METHODS
One hundred and sixty-three patients were assigned, according to their will, to two groups, 105 in the traditional Chinese medicine treated group (Group A) and 58 in the combined treatment group (Group B). The Chinese herbal drug Zhao's Weitiao No. 3 ( 3, ZW3) was given to both groups, twice a day, 40 mL each time, 30 days as one cycle, and over 6 cycles applied in total. For patients in Group B, the chemotherapy of OLF protocol (L-OHP+LV+5-FU) was given for 4-6 cycles. The effects of treatment on the main symptoms, tumor mass, patients' quality of life (QOL) and body weight, changes of carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), as well as the integral effect and survival rate were observed and compared.


RESULTS
The total effective rate in Group A and Group B was 89.52% and 86.21% respectively, on the main clinical symptoms; 86.67% and 93.10% on tumor mass, 82.86% and 77.59% on QOL, 85.71% and 75.86% on body weight and 76.19% and 79.31% on CEA. The integral efficacy of total beneficial rate was 73.33% and 68.97%; and the 3-year survival rate 49.52% and 46.65% in Group A and Group B. These data showed that the effect in Group A was better than in Group B in terms of clinical symptom improvement, QOL, body weight and integral beneficence increase and survival rate, though it was inferior in reducing the tumor mass and CEA level.


CONCLUSIONS
Chinese drug ZW3 for the treatment of colonic cancer could improve the main clinical symptoms, improve the QOL, increase body weight and prolong the survival time of patients, showing a favorable integral effect.
Zhou
Liu-yong
LY
Department of Oncology, Wuxi Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu Province, 214001, China. zhou-liuyong@163.com
Shan
Zhen-zhu
ZZ
You
Jian-liang
JL
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D011788:Quality of Life; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; C541520:zhao's weitiao No. 3; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil