title: Alleviation of cancerous pain by external compress with Xiaozheng Zhitong Paste.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the clinical effectiveness of a topical application of Xiaozheng Zhitong: Paste (, XZP) in alleviating the cancerous pain of patients with middle/late stage cancer
  
  
  METHODS
  By: adopting a random number table, 124 patients enrolled were randomized into the treatment group (64 patients) and the control group (60 patients). In addition to the basic therapy [including the three-ladder (3L) analgesia] used in both groups, topical application of XZP was given to patients in the treatment group for pain alleviation. The analgesic efficacy was recorded in terms of pain intensity, analgesia initiating time and sustaining time, and the optimal analgesic effect revealing time. Meanwhile, the quality of life (QOL) and adverse reactions that occurred in patients were recorded as well.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total effective rate in the treatment group was: 84.38% (54/64), and in the control group it was 88.33% (53/60), showing no significant difference between them (P>0.05), but the analgesia initiating time and the optimal analgesia effect revealing time in the treatment group were significantly shorter (both P<0.01). Moreover, XZP was better in improving patients' QOL, showing more significant improvements in the treatment group than those in the control group in aspects of mental condition, walking capacity, working capacity, social acceptability, sleep and joy of living (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Lower incidence of adverse reactions, such as nausea, vomiting, mouth dryness, dizziness, etc., especially constipation, was noted in the treatment group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Applying an external compress: of XZP showed a synergistic action with 3L analgesia for shortening the initiating time and the optimal effect revealing time, and could evidently enhance patients' QOL with fewer adverse reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Yan-ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Bao-jin
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Hong-sheng
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xian-bin
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Gui-xiang
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004643:Emollients / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004643:Emollients; C553677:xiaozheng zhitong