title: [Assessment of therapeutic efficacy on treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer in the aged by Chinese medicine adopting the international questionnaire of quality of life].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the therapeutic efficacy of treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the aged by Chinese medicine (CM) adopting the international questionnaire of quality of life (QOL).
  
  
  METHODS
  91 aged patients with advanced NSCLC were randomly assigned to three groups. There were 31 in the CM group (Group I), 30 in the chemotherapy group (Group II), and 30 in the CM and chemotherapy combination group (Group III). Oral administration of CM decoction and intravenous dripping of Chinese patent medicine was given to those in Group I. Patients in Group II received chemotherapeutic protocol alone. Patients in Group III received chemotherapeutic protocol while orally taking CM decoction. Twenty-eight days were taken as one therapeutic course, and two courses in total. Assessment was performed using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Lung Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire LC-43 (EORTC QLQ-LC43) before treatment, the 10th day of the second therapeutic course, and the 28th day of the second therapeutic course, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After two therapeutic courses of treatment, compared with Group II, better effects were obtained in Group I and Group III in the aspects of the physical function, roles function, emotional functions, social functions, general health state, and short breath, cough, fatigue, insomnia, poor appetite, and constipation (P<0.05, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CM therapy could relieve the clinical symptoms of aged patients with advanced NSCLC and improve their QOL.
authors.affiliation: The Third Department of Tumor, Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032.
authors.forename: Meng-jun
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Bao-hui
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: You
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal