Impact of standardized Rhus verniciflua stokes extract as complementary therapy on metastatic colorectal cancer: a Korean single-center experience.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the clinical feasibility of the standardized Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) extract for the metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), experimentally proven to have anticancer activities.


METHODS
From July 2006 to November 2007, patients with conventional chemotherapy refractory mCRC were checked. After fulfilling inclusion/exclusion criteria, 36 patients were eligible for the final analysis. Overall survival and adverse events of patients treated with RVS in the aftercare period were determined.


RESULTS
On October 21, 2008, a total of 26 patients died while the remaining 10 patients were alive with evidence of disease. The median RVS administration period was 2.7 months (95% confidence interval, 1.9-3.5). The median overall survival for the entire population was 10.9 months (95% confidence interval, 5.6-16.1) and 1-year survival rate was 44.4%, which is compatible with external controls. By survival analysis using Cox proportional hazards model, the performance status and the prior chemotherapy regimen number significantly affected overall survival. Adverse reactions to the RVS treatment were mostly mild and self-limiting.


CONCLUSIONS
Complementary treatment with the standardized RVS extract might be beneficial for patients with mCRC, since it positively affected overall survival without significant side effects. This study suggests that RVS could be a natural anticancer agent candidate for the treatment of colorectal adenocarcinoma.
Lee
Sang-hun
SH
Department of Clinical Oncology, College of Oriental Medicine, M.mu Integrative Cancer Center, East-West Neo Medical Center Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Choi
Won-cheol
WC
Yoon
Seong-woo
SW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D029045:Rhus / Q000737:chemistry*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal