title: [A Retrospective Study of Chinese Herbal Medicine Combined with Systemic Chemotherapy and/or Regional Arterial Perfusion for Pancreatic Cancer with Liver Metastases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine combined with systemic chemotherapy and/or regional arterial perfusion for pancreatic cancer with liver metastases (PCLM).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively selected 292 patients with PCLM who were treated by Chinese herbal medicine combined with systemic chemotherapy and/or regional arterial perfusion at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital from January 2001 to December 2010. All patients were assigned to the Western medicine treatment group (157 cases) and the integrative medicine treatment group (135 cases). Patients in the Western medicine treatment group were treated with gemcitabine (GEM)-based chemotherapy, and partial of them received regional arterial perfusion. Those in the integrative medicine treatment group additionally took Chinese herbs of clearing heat and eliminating mass for at least 4 weeks. The median survival time (MST) , adverse reactions and the incidence of complications were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistical significance in general data between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was statistical difference in MST between the two groups (4.8 months vs 5.5 months, P < 0.05). No death occurred during chemotherapy or regional arterial perfusion. All toxic or adverse reactions were tolerable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chinese herbal medicine combined with systemic chemotherapy and/or regional arterial perfusion was effective and safe, and it could be optimally selected as palliative therapy for PCLM.
authors.forename: Hua-qiang
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.forename: Zhan-yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Guang-ru
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Zhu-chen
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine