title: The efficacy of traditional Chinese Medicine as an adjunctive therapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as an adjunctive therapy to radiotherapy (RT) and/or chemotherapy (CT) for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with TCM to treat NPC were extensively searched in eight databases. Two researchers independently assessed the quality and validity of the included trials and extracted outcome data. Thirteen RCTs were included for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to using RT and/or CT, TCM combined with conventional cancer therapy had significantly improved Karnofsky performance status (KPS) [odds ratio (OR) 4.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.06-7.56]. TCM as an adjunctive therapy significantly reduced the serious adverse effects of RT to the oral mucosa and skin so that grade I+II prevailed [OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.31-3.66; OR 8.63, 95% CI 3.28-22.70, respectively]. The combined therapy significantly enhanced immunoregulation, improving the levels of CD3, CD4 T cells (OR 10.08, 95% CI 1.38-18.78; OR 7.08, 95% CI 2.41-11.74, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This systematic review suggests that TCM as a therapy adjunctive to RT and/or CT vs only RT and/ or CT has significant efficacy in terms of improvement of quality of life (QoL), alleviation of acute adverse effects, and enhancement of immunoregulation.
authors: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, Hubei Province, P.R. China.
authors: Cheng-Gang
authors: CG
authors: Mao
authors: Ze-Zhang
authors: ZZ
authors: Tao
authors: Li-Jia
authors: LJ
authors: Wan
authors: Ji-Bo
authors: JB
authors: Han
authors: Zhe
authors: Z
authors: Chen
authors: Bo-Kui
authors: BK
authors: Xiao
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma; D006801:Humans; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011788:Quality of Life