Fu Zheng Kang Ai Fang Combining With Chemotherapy In The Treatment Of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer In Advanced Stage

Cancer is a serious disease in the worldwide. In the recent years, the morbidity and mortality of lung cancer are increased significantly. Clinical, lung cancer is divided in two main classes : small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. 70 to 80% of lung cancer is non-small lung cancer , and in the time of positive diagnostic , 70% of patients were in advanced stage. Therefore , the main therapy for patients in this stage is chemotherapy. The chemotherapy is always accompanied by many side - effects, such as : suppression of bone-marrow, gastrointestinal disturbances, liver and kidney damage, immunosuppressive reaction ... The chemotherapy for lung cancer patients in the terminal stage has a great challenge. The Chinese traditional medicine had a long history of evolution in the prevention and the therapy of cancer disease. The main directions of cancer therapy in oriental medicine are : strengthening healthy and counteracting pathogenic factors sterilization. Under the supervisory of Prof. Chen Rui Shen , we have investigated the utilisation of Fu Zheng Kang Ai Fang (FZKAF) modified combining with chemotherapy (TP or GP modality) in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in advanced stage.1. Objects of sudy :â‘  Estimation of treatment efficacity in the near time of posttherapy , after combinedadministration of FZKAF and Chemo-therapy for non-small cell lung cancer in advancedstade.â‘¡ Evaluation of the reduction action of the side effects of chemotherapy when combinedwith FZKAF.â‘¢ Research the ability to increase the immune response of the body and the augmentationof quality of life after the use of FZKAF.2. Method:66 patients with non-small cell lung cancer in advanced stage were divi-ded randomly in two groups . Treatment group (TG) : 36 patients , Control group (CG): 30 patients. In the TG group, patients received the administration of FZKAF + chemotherapy. In the CGgrpup, patients received only chemotherapy. Estimation of the results : therapeutic effects in the near elapse time after treatment, reduction of side effects of chemotherapy , based on following criteria : clinical symptoms ,hematologic changes, liver and kidney functions, immunologic function, quality of life ... 3. Results:3.1 There were no significantly differences between patients of two groups: Patients average age : TG : 57.5 , CG : 55.9 . non significative (NS), P=0.56. Sex mal/femal: TG = 24/12, CG = 21/9, P = 0.77 N.S. Location of tumors: the differences were statistically NS, P=0.89.Cancer staging Ilia , Illb, IV: TG = 6 , 11 ,19 corresponding;CG = 7, 12, 11 corresponding P = 0.42 NS. There are also no differences in cytology , histology with P=0.88. no differences in the Chinese classification of clinical symptoms (P = 0.87). 3.2. Therapeutic effects:3.2.1. The clinical symptoms , such as cough, hemoptysis, angina pectoris, fever were almost resolved in both TG and CG groups with practically no differences (P >0.05). Especially, the dyspnea and fatigue were resolved in 85% and 84% of patients in TG group , but almost aggraved in the CG group. The sizes of tumors after two courses of treatment had following ratio efficacy/stable 2/17 in the TG group and 1/16 in the CG group, non significative(P=0.87). Global estimation: Rate remission/ remission and no change of numerous measurable factors and other non measurable factors between TG and CG groups was 8%/88% and 6%/63% , had significant difference (P = 0.045<0.05).3.2.2. Side effects : In TG group , the side effects were not severe as in CG group. The gastrointestinal reaction , alopecia , leukopenia and thrombocytopenia in the TG group were significantly reduced , in comparison with the CG group ( P <0.01). FZKAF had the potential ability to reduce side effects, caused by chemotherapy.3.2.3. Hematology: There were quantity reductions of RBC, WBC, Hb and blood platelets after therapy in both groups, but in the TG group the decreases were not significantly (P >0.05). In CG group , the difference before and after therapy was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Therefore, FSKAF has the capability to reduce side effects in hematologic criteria, suchas: RBC, WBC, thrombocyte and hemoglobin, caused by chemotherapy.3.2.4. Liver and Kidney functions : The change of SGOT before and after therapy in TG group is not determined, but the change in SGPT is observed (P < 0.05). In the CG group , the differences of SGOT and SGPT before and after therapy were significantly in paired t-test (P < 0.01) The decrease of Cre by TG group was significantly (P <0,01), but contrary, in the CG group the increase of Cre after therapy was observed (P = 0.05). The decrease of BUN in the TG group was not determined , but in CG group an increase of BUN wasstatistically significant (P < 0.01). There was not any change in TB and GGT by both groups. Therefore , the FSKAF had the capability to fortification the functions of liver and kidney. :3.2.5. Immunologic action : The cellular immunity in the TG group was increased significantly, NKC increased with P<0.01. LBT increased with P<0.05. In the CG group, contrary , a decrease of NKC and LBT was determined with P < 0.01. About the humoral immunity in the TG group , the quantity of CD4+ after therapy was increased with P < 0.01, the ratio CD4+/ CD8+ increased too with P = 0.05. In CG group , contrary , a decrease of CD3+, CD4+ ,CD4+/ CD8+ was observed with P < 0.01, CD8+was decreased with P < 0.05. FZKAF had the action of fortification the immunity.3.2.6. Quality of life: After therapy, the following rate of body weight : increase/efficacious/non-efficacious in the TG group was : 18/13/5 corresp. , also the efficacious rate reached 86%. This rate in the CG group was 3/11/16, the efficacious rate reached only 46%. The difference between two groups was significantly, P< 0.01. s The rate of Karnofsky performance : increase/stable/decrease in the TG group was 9/24/3 corresp. , this rate in the CG group was 2/15/13. The difference between two groups , determined with Chi-2 statistics was significantly (P < 0.01).Other criteria : The synptoms such as fatigue and pain in the patients of the TG group werediminished after therapy (P <0.01). The other symptoms such as: loss of appetite ,mentality disorder were unchanged (P > 0.05). In the CG group , the painfulness wasdiminished (P = 0.05), but the fatigue was increased (P =0.05) and the decrease of appetite wassignificantly, P <0.01.In general , the quality of life after the treatment course in the TG group was veritablebetter as in the CG group.4. Conclusions? Therapeutic effects in the near elapsed time was not significantly differentiated, but thethe quality of life in the TG group was veritable better.? FZKAF has the ability to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy of cancer, especiallydecreasing gastrointestinal reaction, alopecia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia.? FZKAF has the protective effects for liver and kidney , augmentation of immunologicfunction of the body.