title: Palliative treatment of advanced cervical cancer with radiotherapy and thai herbal medicine as supportive remedy - analysis of survival.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate outcomes using a Thai herbal medicine, Vilac Plus (G716/45) with standard radiotherapy in comparison with historic controls from literature reports of the results of treatment in stage IIIB cervical cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between March 2003 and June 2005, thirty patients with advanced cervical cancer stage IIIB-IV who had a poor performance status were treated by palliative radiotherapy along with an adjuvant daily dose of 15-30 ml of Thai herbal tonic solution (Vilac Plus G716/45) administered orally three times after meals as an additional supportive therapy. The results were analyzed from the aspect of the overall survival rates with curves estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median follow -up time for stage IIIB was 4.2 years with a range of 7.9 months - 6.1 years. The overall 1, 3, and 5 year survival rates for stage IIIB were 88%, 60% and 52%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall 5 year survival rate for stage IIIB with a poor performance status was 52% when compared with 34-54.8% for historic controls. The combined complementary palliative radiotherapy (CCPR) had low rates of radiation morbidity. It was a simple technique and feasible for developing countries. The pilot study was limited by the small number of patients and further research will be necessary to assess interrelated and confounding factors in treatment of cervical cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiotherapy, Department of Radiology, Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand. pmonti@kku.ac.th
authors.forename: Montien
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pesee
authors.forename: Wichit
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kirdpon
authors.forename: Anucha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Puapairoj
authors.forename: Sukachart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kirdpon
authors.forename: Pongsiri
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prathnadi
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001918:Brachytherapy; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy; D005260:Female; D029001:Herbal Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010166:Palliative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013785:Thailand; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*