Efficacy Study of Integrated TCM Combined With Chemotherapy in Postoperative NSCLC Patients

State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanghai

The investigators performed a multi-center, randomized, controlled, double-blind, prospective study on evaluating effect of chemotherapy combined with or without integrated TCM on quality of life (QOL) of postoperative Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) patients. The investigators plan to involve 600 cases for observation in 3 years (300 cases for each group), expecting that QOL of postoperative NSCLC patients can be improved by integrated TCM combined with chemotherapy compared to that by chemotherapy alone.

At present the high rate of recurrence and metastasis of postoperative non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is one of the leading causes resulting in failure of treating lung cancer. More than 35% of postoperative lung cancer patients with stage I died in 5 years due to recurrence or metastasis; the 5-year survival rates of stage II, IIIa, IIIb were 31%, 17.9% and 11.7% respectively. The survival rate was improved by 5% with adjuvant chemotherapy after resection, so regimen consist of platinum-based two chemical medicines are commended as the adjuvant chemotherapy for treating postoperative NSCLC patients, but the toxicity and side effects of chemotherapy can decrease quality of life (QOL) of patients. Literature and our preliminary studies have shown that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) can prolong survival and improve QOL, but high-level evidences are needed.

The investigators perform a randomized, double-blind study in NSCLC patients after complete resection with stage I-III. Patients are randomized over observational group (TCM granules plus chemotherapy), and control group (TCM placebo plus chemotherapy). The investigators will observe 4 treatment periods, after that the observational group will be treated for another 4 months with integrated TCM combined with western medicine treatment (oral TCM medicines plus TCM intravenous injections), and there is no intervene measures in control group. Regular follow-up will be arranged. The primary efficacy assessments are: QOL (QLQ-C30 scales); Secondary efficacy assessments are: (1) 2-year disease-free survival rate; (2) disease-free survival; other efficacy assessments are: (1) TCM symptoms changes; (2) tumor markers (CEA, CA-125 and CYFRA21-1) and so on. Toxicity, side effects and security of the treatments will be assessed at the same time. The investigators expect that integrated TCM combined with Western medicine treatment has a better efficacy on improving QOL of patients, prolonging disease-free survival time than that of chemotherapy treatment. Therefore our study can provide evidences for optimizing and promoting integrated TCM combined with Western Medicine treatment.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Meet the diagnostic criteria of primary bronchial lung cancer, and pathologically or cytologically confirmed of NSCLC (squamouscarcinoma, adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous carcinoma and large cell carcinoma) patients;
2. Age > 18 years old;
3. TCM syndromes are Yin deficiency, Qi deficiency, deficiency of both Qi and Yin, deficiency of both Spleen and Kidney;
4. Physical status score (ECOG PS) ≤ 2 scores;
5. Stage Ib ~ Ⅲb with complete resection, chemotherapy is performed in 6 weeks after resection, including tumor size > 2cm of stage Ia;
6. Blood routine: N > 1.5×109/L、PLT > 100×109/L, normal liver function and kidney function;
7. Voluntarily involved to clinical study and sign informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Suffering from other primary malignant tumor in 5 years;
2. Incomplete resection or uncertain to take resection;
3. Serious disease of heart, liver, kidney with severe dysfunction;
4. Pregnancy or breast-feeding women;
5. Mental or cognitive disorders which would influence judgment of QOL in this study;
6. During or had adjuvant chemotherapy;
7. Being participating other drug trials;
8. Allergy to the drug in our study.