Clinical Study on the Treatment of Advanced Liver Cancer of Qi Deficiency and Toxic Stasis Type by Jiawei Yupingfeng San

  OBJECTIVE  To observe the clinical efficacy and effect on serum thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) levels of patients with advanced liver cancer of qi deficiency and toxic stasis type by Jiawei Yupingfeng San.

  METHODS  Using random double blind method, 120 patients with advanced liver cancer of qi deficiency and toxic stasis type were randomly divided into 3 groups: Jiawei Yupingfeng San group, Yupingfeng San group, and placebo group, each consisting of 40 cases. All patients in the 3 groups were given conventional treatment such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, interventional or targeted therapy; Jiawei Yupingfeng San group was given Jiawei Yupingfeng San granules, Yupingfeng San group was given Yupingfeng San granules, and placebo group was given placebo. The course of treatment was 2 months. The changes of Karnofsky functional status score (KPS score), TCM syndrome score, tumor size and serum TSLP level in the 3 groups were observed before and after treatment, and the correlation between the changes of tumor size and TSLP was analyzed.

  RESULTS  After treatment, the KPS scores of Yupingfeng San group and Jiawei Yupingfeng San group were significantly increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), TCM syndrome score were decreased (P < 0.01), tumor growth (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) was delayed, and serum TSLP levels (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) were decreased. Furthermore, there was a slight positive correlation between changes in tumor size and changes in TSLP (P < 0.05). In terms of improving tumor size, the curative effect of Jiawei Yupingfeng San group was better than that of Yupingfeng San group (P < 0.05). During the treatment period, no obvious adverse reactions were observed in the 3 groups of patients.

  CONCLUSION  Combined with conventional treatment, Jiawei Yupingfeng San can significantly delay tumor growth in patients with advanced liver cancer of qi deficiency and toxic stasis type and improve patients' TCM syndromes and their quality of survival. The therapeutic mechanism is related to reducing the expression of serum TSLP and improving the immune status of patients, thereby delaying the growth of tumors.