title: Effect of cantharidins in chemotherapy for hepatoma: a retrospective cohort study.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cantharidins, a traditional Chinese medicine, in chemotherapy for the treatment of hepatoma. From August 2011 to December 2012, 96 patients with hepatoma, who were eligible for transcatheter hepatic arterial chemoembolization and received cantharidins, were selected for comparison with the control group of 95 patients without cantharidins. The treatment effect, clinical symptoms and adverse effects were analyzed. The results of the study showed that the cantharidins group had a higher overall efficient rate than the control group (p < 0.001). The improvement rate of the Karnofsky score in the cantharidins group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p = 0.014). In the cantharidins group, there was a decrease in white blood cell (WBC) count and gastrointestinal response rates were lower than those of the control group (p < 0.05). Therefore, the traditional Chinese medicine cantharidins showed effects of easing the progress of liver cancer, relieving side effects of chemotherapy and improving the quality of life in the treatment of hepatoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Second Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong 250033, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu-Zhen
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Chen-Hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tong-Gang
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Guang-Rui
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Shao
mesh_terms: D002193:Cantharidin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006499:Hepatic Artery; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002193:Cantharidin