Integrative Cancer Therapies最新文献

Background: Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, underscoring the need for novel therapies. SH003, an herbal mixture composed of Astragalus membranaceus, Angelica gigas, and Trichosanthes kirilowii, is a traditional Korean medicine formulation with potential to enhance chemotherapy efficacy and reduce toxicity. This study aimed to assess the safety and determine maximum tolerated dose of SH003 in combination with docetaxel in patients with advanced solid tumors, specifically lung and breast cancer.

Methods: This Phase I, multi-center, open-label, dose-escalation study enrolled patients with advanced lung or breast cancer. Participants received SH003 orally at doses of 2400, 3600, or 4800 mg daily, alongside intravenous docetaxel (75 mg/m²) every 21 days. A 3 + 3 dose-escalation design was employed to determine the maximum tolerated dose. Safety assessments and adverse event monitoring were conducted at each treatment cycle.

Results: Twelve participants were enrolled. SH003 was well tolerated up to 4800 mg/day, with no dose-limiting toxicities attributed to SH003. The most common adverse events were neutropenia, primarily associated with docetaxel, and mild dermatologic reactions such as eczema, rash acneiform, and pruritus. Preliminary evidence of disease stabilization was observed in several participants.

Conclusion: The combination of SH003 and docetaxel demonstrated a favorable safety profile, with 4800 mg/day identified as maximum tolerated dose for SH003. These findings support further investigation in Phase II trials to assess therapeutic efficacy.Trial Registration: Clinical Research Information Service (https://cris.nih.go.kr) KCT0004770.

Background: Evidence regarding Chinese herbal medicine for facial rash related to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether ex ternal application of a Xiaozhen zhiyang (XZZY) decoction is effective for EGFR-TKI-related facial rash in Chinese patients.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 123 participants with EGFR-TKI-related facial rash were recruited from July 18, 2019 to May 20, 2021. The intervention was external application of the XZZY decoction twice daily for 2 weeks using a facial mask. Treatment efficacy, change in the WoMo score, and quality of life were evaluated as endpoints.

Results: The average age of the 123 enrolled participants was 54.83 ± 12.45 years, and 48.78% were female. The total efficiency of treatment was 93.5%, including 12 (10%) cases were cured, 20 (16.26%) cases were markedly improved and 83 (67.48%) cases were improved. The generalized estimating equations showed decreased WoMo scores, itching, and pain, as well as an improved quality of life after the treatment. Only 1 participant reported skin allergies, and no other adverse effects were reported.

Conclusion: This study showed the effectiveness and safety of a XZZY decoction for EGFR-TKI-related rash.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Shuanghuang Yangxue Decoction in treating lung cancer patients with cancer-related anemia (CRA) accompanied by serum iron deficiency.

Method: One hundred lung cancer patients with CRA and serum iron deficiency were included in this prospective randomized controlled study and randomly divided into control and treatment groups. The treatment group received Shuanghuang Yangxue Decoction plus ferrous succinate, while the control group received ferrous succinate alone. Related indicators were observed and recorded before and after treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0.

Results: The effective correction rate of anemia in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (64 vs 34%, P < .01). Through stratified analysis of patients with moderate anemia, the effective correction rate in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (75 vs 45%, P < 0.01). After treatment, the treatment group showed statistically significant differences (P < .05) in peripheral blood routine parameters (hemoglobin, erythrocyte count, and hematocrit), anemia indicators (serum iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation, and erythropoietin [EPO]), immune function markers (cytotoxic T lymphocytes [Tc] and natural killer [NK] lymphocytes), and inflammatory factors (interleukin-1β [IL-1β], IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], and interferon-γ [IFN-γ]) compared to baseline values. Between-group comparisons showed that mean hemoglobin in the treatment group increased from 106.60 to 119.86 g/L, which was not significantly different from the control group increase from 110.00 to 116.18 g/L (P > .05). However, mean serum iron in the treatment group increased from 7.03 to 12.33 μmol/L, which was significantly higher than the control group increase from 7.33 to 9.45 μmol/L (P < .01). Throughout the study, no adverse reaction events occurred in either group.

Conclusion: Shuanghuang Yangxue Decoction demonstrates superior efficacy compared to ferrous succinate alone in treating lung cancer CRA with serum iron deficiency. It effectively corrects anemia, increases serum iron levels, reduces inflammation, and is both safe and effective.

Background: Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), a commonly used alternative therapy, has been reported to reduce the side effects of cancer treatments and improve the quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer (BC) patients. However, there is limited research on the effects of CHM in BC patients experiencing hot flushes (HFs) during adjuvant chemotherapy. We conducted a non-randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of CHM on side effects, QOL, and changes in meridian electrodermal activity.

Methods: Forty-eight patients with stage I-III BC undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy were non-randomly assigned to either a 24-week CHM treatment group or a 24-week non-CHM control group. The CHM intervention involved a combination of Jia Wei Xiao Yao San and Er Zhi Wan in a 3:1 ratio, with a total daily dose of 4 g taken 3 times a day. The primary outcome was the occurrence of 10 or more HFs per week and the severity of symptoms, rated using a visual analog scale (1-10). Secondary outcomes included the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer questionnaire to assess health-related QOL, and meridian energy analysis to measure skin electrical conductance and sympathetic activity. The difference between the CHM and non-CHM groups in individual changes from baseline to week 24 was evaluated using an independent t-test.

Results: A total of 43 participants completed the study, with 25 in the CHM group and 18 in the control group. The CHM group showed a statistically significant reduction in HF frequency at 12 and 24 weeks and a decrease in HF severity at 12 weeks compared to the control group (P < .05). Physical well-being and specific concerns scores also improved significantly over time in the CHM group compared to the control group (P < .05). While CHM treatment did not lead to significant changes in overall electrical conductance at acupoints (P = .251), it did significantly affect specific meridians, including the heart, liver, and kidney (P = .032, P = .035, and P = .035, respectively). Additionally, sympathetic activity was reduced in the CHM group after completing chemotherapy (P = .045).

Conclusions: CHM therapy appears to have a preventive effect on chemotherapy-related HFs in BC patients and is safe, with no severe adverse effects observed.

Background: Reishi mushroom is one of the most commonly used supplements among cancer patients. However, limited data exists on why patients choose Reishi. This study aimed to explore patients' expectations and barriers to using Reishi.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey study of a cancer population from Mainland China who reported using Reishi. Participants were recruited using a customer database from Zhongke Health International LLC. Patients' expectations and barriers to Reishi use were assessed using a modified version of the Attitudes and Beliefs Toward Complementary and Alternative Medicine (ABCAM) survey. Multivariable linear regression models were applied to examine whether socio-demographic and clinical factors, as well as Reishi usage patterns, influenced participants' attitudes toward Reishi.

Results: Among 1374 participants, the most common sources of information about Reishi products were friends (49.78%) and family (36.83%). More than half (55.9%) used additional traditional Chinese herbal remedies in combination with Reishi. The most frequently cited expectations for Reishi use were boosting immunity (45% strongly agreed) and improving physical health (41% strongly agreed). 72% identified cost and insurance coverage as the primary barriers to Reishi usage. Approximately 10% considered side effects and limited research evidence as barriers. Stage IV cancer and duration of Reishi use >5 years were significantly associated with higher expectations and lower perceived barriers.

Conclusion: This study identified the most common expectations and barriers to Reishi use in cancer care in Mainland China. These findings can help clinicians better understand patient perspectives and integrate herbal supplements more effectively into supportive cancer care.

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) exhibits low survival rates. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become first-line treatment for NSCLC, their limited response to ICI monotherapy has led to exploration of combination treatments. However, the high incidence of treatment-related adverse events associated with conventional drug combinations has highlighted the need for alternative herbal therapy. Bojungikki-tang (BJIKT), a traditional herbal medicine, has been used to treat gastrointestinal disorders and enhance immune function. Our preclinical studies have demonstrated that BJIKT combined with anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 antibodies exhibits significant efficacy in suppressing tumor growth by modulating the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Building on these preclinical findings, this study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of BJIKT with pembrolizumab combination therapy compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy in advanced NSCLC patients.

Methods: 70 individuals with stage IV NSCLC scheduled for first-line pembrolizumab monotherapy will be randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. The primary outcome will be progression-free survival, with secondary outcomes including disease control rate, overall survival, and quality of life assessment. Adverse events will be monitored for safety. This study will explore the synergistic mechanism of combinatorial therapy using immune profiling and multi-omics analysis, and the possibility for personalized integrative therapy based on cold-heat syndrome differentiation (SD) types in East Asian medicine.

Discussion: This study will provide novel evidence regarding survival outcomes, quality of life, and safety profiles of combined ICI and BJIKT therapy for advanced NSCLC. The exploratory data will contribute to tailoring treatments to immune-based SD types in NSCLC patients.

Background: The incidence and mortality of lung cancer is the highest among malignant tumors worldwide, and it seriously threatens human life and health. Surgery is the primary radical treatment for lung cancer. However, patients often experience discomfort, changes in social roles, economic pressures, and other postsurgical challenges. These factors frequently cause various psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression, significantly diminishing the quality of life and elevating the risks of recurrence, metastasis, and mortality. Therefore, effective strategies for mental function rehabilitation should be urgently developed. Traditional Chinese medicine can significantly improve psychological function and physical symptoms after lung cancer surgery, and prolong patient survival. However, its effectiveness for mental function rehabilitation after lung cancer surgery remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Chinese medicine on mental function recovery after lung cancer surgery through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: This study will systematically search the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, VIP database, and Chinese BioMedical Literature database. Search for studies published from the inception of each database until April 22, 2024. This study will be limited to clinical randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The primary outcome will be depression or anxiety, as indicated by the scale score. Data analysis will be performed using RevMan 5. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool will be used to evaluate the quality of included studies. Finally, the quality of the evidence will be classified using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) System.

Results: This meta-analysis aims to offer comprehensive evidence of the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine in mental function rehabilitation after lung cancer surgery. The study will assess the quality of the reports and conduct a subgroup analysis based on various postoperative stages, intervention measures, intervention duration, and sex to gather more evidence to fill the gap in psychological function rehabilitation after lung cancer surgery. These data can be used to guide clinical practice and inform future studies. More importantly, the results of this study will provide evidence to support the development of expert consensus and clinical guidelines in the field of mental function rehabilitation after lung cancer surgery.