Study on Clinical Efficacy and Mechanism of Jianpi Yangwei Formula Combined with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Patients with Gastric Cancer

OBJECTIVE  To observe the clinical efficacy and mechanism of Jianpi Yangwei Formula combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) on patients with gastric cancer.METHODS  According to the random number table method, 56 patients with gastric cancer were randomly divided into the control group (29 cases) and the treatment group (27 cases). The control group was given preoperative NACT consisting of oxaliplatin and tegafur-gimeracil-oteracil potassium capsule, and the treatment group was treated with Jianpi Yangwei formula besides NACT. The tumor regression grade (TRG) and TCM syndrome scores were observed in the two groups. The expressions of forkhead box protein 3 (FoxP3) and T cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain 3 (Tim3) protein in gastric cancer tissues were detected with immunohistochemistry. Real-time PCR was applied to detect the levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).RESULTS  After treatment, the TRG score of the treatment group was lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The TCM syndrome score in the treatment group was decreased significantly after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and less than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the protein expressions of Tim3 and FoxP3 in gastric cancer tissue of the treatment group decreased (P < 0.05), and the levels of IL-8 and IL-10 also decreased (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION  Jianpi Yangwei formula combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy can effectively improve the clinical efficacy of NACT for gastric cancer. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of Tim3, FoxP3 and IL-8, IL-10 in the tumor microenvironment.