Objective To observe the life quality and the immune function of colorectal cancer patients treated by huaier granule combined with FOLFOX4 chemotherapy. Methods A total of 76 cases of colorectal cancer with chemotherapy indications were divided into two groups at random. Huaier granule and FOLFOX4 chemotherapy was applied in trial group， meanwhile， placebo and FOLFOX4 chemotherapy in control group. The changes of life quality， common condition， and immune state in two groups before and after treatment were abserved. Results The effective rate in the trial group was 92.1％ （35/38）， and in the control group was 65.8％ （25/38）， χ2=7.91， P＜0.005. The life quality improving rate in the trial group was 78.9％ （30/38）， and in the control group was 31.6％ （12/38）， χ2=6.33， P＜0.05. The CD3 increase rate in the trial group was 65.8％（25/38）， and in the control group was 23.7 ％ （9/38）， χ2=7.96， P＜0.005， the CD4/CD8 increase rate in the trial group was 68.4 ％（26/38） , and in the control group was 28.9％ （11/38）， χ2=10.53， P＜0.005. Conclusions Huaier granule can significantly improv the clinical symptoms, life quality, and immune state. Huaier granule combined with FOLFOX4 chemotherapy is a new effective scheme to cure colorectal cancer， is worth further generalization．
Objective To study the effect of Huaier granule on the recurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and immune rejection in the postoperative patients with liver transplantation for HCC. Methods Twenty-eight patients of liver transplantation for HCC who had taken Huaier granule orally for more than 6 months from September 2001 to March 2007 in West China Hospital were included as treatment group, and other 56 patients of liver transplantation for HCC who didn’t take any Huaier granule in the same time were included as the control group according to the same stage of TNM, degree of tumor differentiation (Edmondson grading) respectively with the treatment group. The method of retrospective cohort study was used to compare the incidence of immune rejection and the 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year recurrence and metastasis of HCC, disease free survival rate, and survival rate between two groups after 2 years’ follow-up beginning from the date of surgery. Results The 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year tumor recurrence and metastasis incidences in treatment group were 14.3%, 32.1%, and 39.3% respectively, which were 23.2%, 32.1%, and 50.0% respectively in control group, and the 2-year tumor recurrence and metastasis incidence of the treatment group was lower than that of the control group. The 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year disease free survival rates in treatment group were 85.7%, 67.5%, and 60.0% respectively, which were 76.7%, 67.6%, and 49.3% respectively in control group, and the 2-year disease free survival rate of treatment group was higher than that of the control group. The 6-month, 1-year, 2-year survival rates in treatment group were 92.9%, 78.6%, and 67.9% respectively, which were 89.3%, 75.0%, and 62.5% respectively in control group. But the 2-year tumor recurrence and metastasis incidence (P=0.353), 2-year disease free survival curve (P=0.386), and 2-year survival curve (P=0.620) were not significantly different between two groups. The incidence of immune rejection was 14.29% in the treatment group and 16.07% in the control group, which was not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.831). Conclusions Huaier granule can increase the 2-year tumor-free survival rate and restrain the recurrence and metastasis of HCC, and does not increase the incidence of immune rejection. Huaier granule as a treatment of HCC in patients with liver transplantation is safe and effective.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Huaier granule combined with systemic chemotherapy on immunologic function and prognosis for advanced breast cancer patients. MethodsNinety-eight cases ofⅣstage breast cancer from March 2006 to March 2009 in this hospital were divided into control group and research group. Only systemic chemotherapy was performed in the control group, while Huaier granule combined with systemic chemotherapy was applied in the research group, and Huaier granule was given on day 1 systemic chemotherapy start. The changes of T lymphocyte subsets and IL-2 level were detected on day 1 before systemic chemotherapy and on month 6 after Huaier granule combined with systemic chemotherapy. The fatality rate and median survival time were also observed between two groups. ResultsCompared with the control group, the changes of T lymphocyte subsets and IL-2 level had no signi-ficant differences on day 1 before systemic chemotherapy between these two groups(P > 0.05). On month 6 after Huaier granule combined with systemic chemotherapy, the CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocyte, and IL-2 level were significantly increased, the CD8+ T lymphocyte was significantly decreased in the research group as compared with the control group〔CD4+:(47.35±6.23)% versus(41.33±5.61)%, P < 0.05; CD4+/CD8+: 1.84±0.42 versus 1.47±0.33, P < 0.05; IL-2 level:(1.78±0.45)μg/L versus(1.58±0.30)μg/L, P < 0.05; CD8+:(23.26±3.25)% versus(29.77±4.12)%, P < 0.05〕. The rate of chemotherapy complications and fatality rate within 3 years were significantly decreased in the research group as compared with the control group〔rate of chemotherapy complications: 58.3%(28/48) versus 86.0%(43/50), P < 0.01; fatality rate within 3 years: 62.5%(30/48)versus 82.0%(41/50), P < 0.05〕. The median survival time in the research group was significantly longer than that in the control group(33.5 months versus 24.5 months, P < 0.01). ConclusionsThe preliminary results from this study show that Huaier granule combined with systemic chemotherapy could greatly enhance immune function, reduce side-toxicity of chemotherapy and improve prognosis in advanced breast cancer patients. It provides a beneficial exploration for cancer treatment by integration of traditional and western medicine.
ObjectiveTo evaluate therapeutical effects of Huaier granule combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) following radical resection of primary hepatocellular carcinoma with microvascular invasion. MethodsThe clinical data of 45 cases of primary hepatocellular carcinoma with microvascular invasion underwent Huaier granule combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) following radical resection from June 2010 to June 2013 in Liaoning Cancer Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into Huaier granule plus TACE treatment group (20 cases) and simple TACE treatment group (25 cases) according to the postoperative treatment of the patients. The immune function (CD4+/CD8+ ratio and IL-2 level), 1and 3-year tumor recurrence rates and 3-year cumulative survival rate were compared between two groups after operation. Result① The CD4+/CD8+ ratio and IL-2 level had no significant differences between the 2 groups before operation (P > 0.05), which in the Huaier granule plus TACE treatment group were significantly higher than those in the simple TACE treatment group (P < 0.05) on month 3, 6, and 12 after operation.② 1and 3-year tumor recurrence rates in the Huaier granule plus TACE treatment group were significantly lower than those in the simple TACE treatment group[15% (3/20) versus 48% (12/25), P < 0.05; 45% (9/20) versus 80% (20/25), P < 0.05]. ③ The 3-year cumulative survival rate was 75% and 68% in the Huaier granule plus TACE treatment group and the simple TACE treatment group, respectively. The survival curve analysis showed that the 3-year survival rate had a decreased trend, which in the Huaier granule plus TACE treatment group was slightly higher than that in the simple TACE treatment group, but the difference had no statistical significance between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). ConclusionsAlthough the results of this study fails to confirm that Huaier granule plus TACE treatment for primary hepatocellular carcinoma with microvascular invasion following radical resection could significantly improve the 3-year cumulative survival rate, it could effectively decrease the recurrence rate. It is needed larger sample size to further explore in future research.
ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with Huaier granules in treatment of primary liver cancer (PLC).MethodsThe databases including the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wanfang Data, CNKI, VIP were searched to obtain the relevant literatures of Huaier granule combined with TACE therapy (Huaier+TACE group) and alone TACE therapy (TACE group) in the treatment of PLC. The short-term curative effects (objective response rate and disease control rate), 6 and 12-month survival rates, immune function change, and adverse reactions were extracted. The RevMan 5.3 software was applied to carry out the meta analysis.ResultsFifteen studies involving 1 781 cases were enrolled in this study, of which 876 cases underwent the Huaier+TACE, 905 underwent the TACE. The meta analysis results showed that the objective response rate and disease control rate, 6 and 12-month survival rates of the Huaier+TACE group were significantly more superior as compared with of the TACE group (P<0.05), the adverse reaction incidence had no significant difference (P>0.05). Compared with the TACE group, the CD4 +/CD8 + of the Huaier+TACE group was significantly improved (P<0.05).ConclusionFrom results of meta analysis, Huaier granule combined with TACE could improve therapeutic effect, increase survival rate, and improve life quality of PLC.