title: Survival Analysis of Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated by Using Wheel Balance Cancer Therapy.
abstract: Objective To investigate the clinical effect and the overall survival (OS) rate of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have undergone Wheel Balance Cancer Therapy (WBCT). Methods The cases of 33 patients with advanced NSCLC who were treated with WBCT at the East West Cancer Center (EWCC) between October 4, 2004, and October 3, 2013, without undergoing concurrent conventional treatment were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the OS of the cases, and the median OS was calculated according to age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS), conventional-treatment history, WBCT treatment duration, and histological tumor type. Results The median OS of all patients was 31.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.5-58.7) months; the OS rates were 63.6% and 24.2% at years 1 and 2, respectively. The median OS rates of patients under and over 65 years were 45.2 (95% CI = 13.5-76.9) and 19.5 (95% CI = 7.1-31.8) months, respectively (P = .189). The median OS rates of patients who received WBCT for >14 days but <28 days and those who received WBCT for ≥28 days were 16.2 (95% CI = 13.3-19.2) and 45.2 (95% CI = 14.4-76.0) months, respectively (P = .437). The median OS rates of patients who had undergone prior conventional treatment and those who had not were 45.2 (95% CI = 9.1-81.3) and 3.9 (95% CI = unable to calculate) months, respectively (P = .000). The median OS rates of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and non-SCC lung cancer were 5.6 (95% CI = unable to calculate) and 45.2 (95% CI = 9.1-81.3) months, respectively (P = .262). The median OS rate of patients with ECOG PS ≥3 was 14.3 (95% CI = 8.8-19.8) months; that of patients ECOG PS <3 could not be calculated. However, the mean OS rates of patients with ECOG PS <3 and with ECOG PS ≥3 were 85.7 (95% CI = 58.4-113.0) and 12.7 (95% CI = 8.5-16.9) months, respectively (P = .000). No severe adverse events were encountered. Conclusions Our study indicates that WBCT might be effective to prolong the length of survival for patients with advanced NSCLC who have previously undergone conventional treatment and have an ECOG PS <3.
authors.affiliation: Dunsan Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jongmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Dunsan Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chong-Kwan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Dunsan Korean Medicine Hospital of Daejeon University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea altyhs@dju.kr.
authors.forename: Hwa-Seung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: Wheel Balance Cancer Therapy; advanced non–small cell lung cancer; herbal medication; integrative cancer treatment; overall survival; quality of life