Clinical Observation Of Cultured Cordyceps Sinensis’s Prevention Of Radiation Pneumonitis In Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

Objective To observe the influence of cultured cordyceps sinensis on changes ofserum Transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1),Tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),Interieukin-1(IL-1β),Inierieukin-6(IL-6) before radiotherapy,radiotherapy to40Gyand the end of radiotherapy, to evaluate the efficacy of cultured Cordyceps sinensis inprevention of radiation pneumonitis (RP) and explore its mechanism in non-small celllung cancer Patients.Materials and methods From June2012to December2013,60non-small cell lungcancer patients treated with radiotherapy for the first time were registered into groups.60patients were randomly assigned into two groups:30cases in the treatment groupwere treated with radiotherapy and cultured cordyceps sinensis;30cases in controlgroup were treated with radiotherapy and placebo. The serum Transforming growthfactor-β1(TGF-β1),Tumornecrosis factor-α(TNF-α), Interieukin-1(IL-1β),Inierieukin-6(IL-6) levels were measured by ELISA（enzyme linked immunosorbent assay）before or after radiotherapy with dose of40Gy or the end of radiotherapy. Beforeradiotherapy, after radiotherapy with dose of40Gy, at the end of radiotherapy,1month and3months after radiotherapy, Chest CT examinations which use for assessthe efficacy and pulmonary radiation reaction were routinely performed for patientsrespectively. According to clinical symptoms and imaging results, regular evaluationand records of clinical symptoms in patients with Radiation Pneumonitis wereperformed during the period of radiotherapy and within3months after radiotherapy,According to RTOG(radiation therapy oncology group) acute radiation-induced lung injury grading standards, the extent of RP were evaluated. The endpoint of the studywas the development of＞grade2RP. Combined with the results of cytokinesdetection and the incidence of radiation-induced lung injury, the influence of culturedcordyceps sinensis on changes of serum cytokines and the efficacy in prevention ofRP in non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy were analysed.Results Before radiotherapy the serum levels of TGF-β1、TNF-α、IL-1β、IL-6in the treatment group were respectively （7.38±2.14）pg/ml、（143.79±48.32）pg/ml、（37.38±14.65）pg/ml、（18.37±8.69）pg/ml, after radiation of40Gy wererespectively（6.57±1.94）pg/ml、（131.48±47.15）pg/ml、（40.42±12.69）pg/ml、（14.28±7.78）pg/ml, the end of radiotherapy were respectively （4.17±1.84）pg/ml、（120.35±43.27）pg/ml、（46.89±14.68）pg/ml、（11.25±6.69）pg/ml; whilethose in the control group were （7.69±2.31）pg/ml、（147.37±43.25）pg/ml、（36.25±15.12）pg/ml、（17.69±8.35）pg/ml before radiotherapy, after radiation of40Gy were respectively （9.34±2.76） pg/ml、（161.29±50.28） pg/ml、（66.28±13.25）pg/ml、（21.34±7.69）pg/ml, the end of radiotherapy wererespectively （12.19±2.25） pg/ml、（193.74±48.68） pg/ml、（89.39±18.27）pg/ml、（27.28±8.59）pg/ml. there were statistically significant differences betweenthe two groups after radiation of40Gy or the end of radiotherapy (P <0.05).The totalincidence of RP of the treatment group and the control group were16.67%,33.33%respectively; the differences were statistically significant (P <0.05).Conclusion With the use of cultured cordyceps sinensis, the serum levels of TGF-β1、TNF-α、 IL-1β、 IL-6could be down-regulated, meanwhile, the incidence ofRadiation Pneumonitis could be reduced effectively in non-small cell lung cancerpatients undergoing radiotherapy.