title: The Kampo medicine Goshajinkigan prevents neuropathy in breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Goshajinkigan (GJG) is used for the treatment of several neurological symptoms. We investigated the efficacy of GJG and mecobalamin (B12) against neurotoxicity associated with docetaxel (DOC) in breast cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty breast cancer patients were treated with DOC. Thirty-three patients (GJG group) received oral administration of 7.5 g/day GJG and 27 patients (B12 group) received oral administration of 1500 μg/day B12. Neuropathy was evaluated according to DEB-NTC (Neurotoxicity Criteria of Debiopharm), Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTC) ver. 3.0, and a visual analogue scale (VAS). This study employed a randomized open design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of neuropathy was 39.3% in the GJG group, and 88.9% in the B12 group (p<0.01). In the GJG group, grade 1 DEB-NTC was observed in 2 cases, grade 2 in 5 cases and grade 3 in 5 cases. Grade 1 NCI-CTC was observed in 7 cases, grade 2 in 6 cases, and VAS was 2.7 ± 2.2. In the B12 group, grades 1, 2 and 3 DEB-NTC were observed in one case, 12 cases and 12 cases, respectively; and grades 1, 2 and 3 NCI-CTC were observed in 11 cases, 12 cases and one case, and VAS was 4.9 ± 2.4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concomitant administration of GJG is useful in preventing neuropathy in breast cancer patients treated with a DOC regimen.
authors.affiliation: Breast Center, Bell Land General Hospital, Japan E-mail : abe@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tomida
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umeda
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020835:Medicine, Kampo / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D043823:Taxoids / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D043823:Taxoids; C119642:gosha-jinki-gan; D000077143:Docetaxel; C019476:mecobalamin; D014805:Vitamin B 12