Haishengsu as an adjunct therapy to conventional chemotherapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a pilot randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the effect of Haishengsu, an extract from Tegillarca granosa, on non-small cell lung cancer as an adjunct to conventional chemotherapy. DESIGNS/SETTINGS: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in 83 patients. The Haishengsu (n=42, 2.4mg Haishengsu in 250ml normal saline, iv, for 15 days) and the placebo group (n=41, 250ml normal saline, iv) were also treated with two cycles (28 days for each cycle) of conventional chemotherapy consisting mitomycin, vindesine and cisplatin.

RESULTS:

The curative effect of conventional chemotherapy was observed in 62% of Haishengsu group patients and in 39% in of the placebo group patients (P=0.04, RR 1.59, 95% CI: 1.01-2.49). Improvement in Karnofsky performance status scores was seen in 66.7% of Haishengsu group patients and in 17.1% of the placebo group patients (P<0.01, RR 3.63, 95%CI: 1.77-7.41). The ratio of patients with no or only mild gastrointestinal reaction in the Haishengsu and the placebo group was 83.3% and 39.0%, respectively (P<0.01, RR 2.13, 95% CI: 1.42-3.20).

CONCLUSIONS:

This study suggests that Haishengsu may be an effective adjunct therapy to the conventional chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer. The short-term therapeutic effect of chemotherapy may be improved and the chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting may be reduced by concurrent Haishengsu administration.

• Authors: Guang-Yao Li, Xiao-Min Yu, Hong-Wei Zhang, Bin Zhang, Chun-Bo Wang, Yan-Chun Xin, Chun-Zheng Yang, Ren-Xiang Zhou, Le-Xin Wang
• Journal: Complementary therapies in medicine (Complement Ther Med) Vol. 17 Issue 1 Pg. 51-5 (Jan 2009) ISSN: 1873-6963 [Electronic] Scotland
• PMID: 19114229 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Body Weight
• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung (drug therapy)
• Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
• Disease Progression
• Eating
• Gastrointestinal Tract (physiopathology)
• Humans
• Karnofsky Performance Status
• Lung Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Male
• Medicine, Chinese Traditional
• Middle Aged
• Mollusca
• Nausea (drug therapy)
• Pilot Projects
• Vomiting (drug therapy)