In Metastatic Non-small cell Lung Cancer Platinum-Based Treated Patients, Herbal Treatment Improves the Quality of Life. A Prospective Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Background According to clinical experience, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbs added to platinum-based therapy (PBT) improve the Quality of Life (QOL) in metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) patients, but this must be prospectively validated. Patients and Methods Based on clinical impressions regarding the effect of adding TCM herbs to platinum-based chemotherapy, we anticipated that 2 x 21 patients would be sufficient to obtain significant results with an α0.10). The incidence rates of nausea during treatment were 17% in PBT+TCM versus 75% in PBT+PLACEBO; vomiting rates were 14% and 56% (P<0.0001; 0.002). Moreover, ECOG “improved and stable rates” were 90％ in the PBT+TCM versus 69% in the PBT+PLACEBO group (P=0.04). In PBT+TCM patients, FACT-L social/familial and functional subscales were better after 2 months’ treatment (P=0.02, 0.03). Contrarily, in PBT+PLACEBO patients, the QOL variables total score, physical and emotional subscales were worse after PBT treatment (P=0.03, 0.0001, 0.003). Conclusions In stage IIIB-IV ECOG-PS=0-1 NSCLC patients with Qi-Yin deficiency and platinum-based chemotherapy, adding TCM herbal medication improves the QOL.