scholarly journals Identification of Herb Pairs in Esophageal Cancer

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Mei Cai ◽  
Hui Zhu ◽  
Jing-Xiu Niu ◽  
Lin Bing ◽  
Zhen Sun ◽  
...  

Background: Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is used widely to treat various diseases, including cancer. However, effective herb pairs for treating specific cancer types have so far not been identified. Here, we aimed to calculate the survival benefits of herb pairs by cluster analysis, association rules, and survival evaluation in patients with esophageal cancer (EC) treated with CHM. Patients and Methods: 59 patients with EC who received 176 prescriptions including 178 types of herbs were enrolled into the study. The herb pairs were identified by both cluster analysis and association rules. Overall survival (OS) was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Eight groups of herb pairs were identified by cluster analysis, and 4 groups of herb pairs were identified by association rules. Of these, 3 groups of herb pairs were identified by both methods. OS estimation showed that the pair of chicken gizzard-membrane/Astragalus was associated with improved survival in patients with EC treated with CHM. Conclusion: Patients who received prescriptions containing the pair of chicken gizzard-membrane and Astragalus had improved OS compared with patients who received prescriptions lacking this pair.

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 153473541983435
Author(s):  
Chia-Chen Chang ◽  
Kuo-Wei Bi ◽  
Hung-Jen Lin ◽  
Yuan-Chih Su ◽  
Wen-Ling Wang ◽  
...  

Background: Because of advances in medical treatment, the survival of cancer patients is prolonged. In line with the prolonged survival time of cancer the incidence of second primary cancer has increased. There is currently no effective way to prevent the occurrence of secondary primary cancer (SPC). Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate whether Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) is correlated with reduced occurrence of second primary cancer (SPC) of head and neck (H&N) in patients with esophageal cancer (EC). Method: We identified 15,546 patients who were diagnosed with esophageal cancer between Jan 1, 2000, and Dec 31, 2010. The patients with H&N cancer before receiving CHM were excluded. After the selection and matching process, both CHM and non-CHM cohorts each contained 850 individuals. We compared the cumulative incidence of SPC of H&N with or without CHM treatment in patients with EC by the Kaplan-Meier method. NodeXL is used to run a network analysis of CHM to examine the association between herbs and formulas. Results: Compared with non-CHM users, CHM-users showed a reduced incidence rate of SPC of H&N among the patients with EC. Reduced cumulative incidence of SPC of H&N among patients with EC was noted in the CHM cohort compared to the non-CHM cohort. The most commonly used single herbs and formulas were associated with reducing SPC occurrence. Conclusion: We propose that CHM as an adjuvant therapy may prevent the occurrence of SPC of H&N in patients with EC.


Rheumatology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 650-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Oldroyd ◽  
Jamie C Sergeant ◽  
Paul New ◽  
Neil J McHugh ◽  
Zoe Betteridge ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives To characterize the 10 year relationship between anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1 antibody (anti-TIF1-Ab) positivity and cancer onset in a large UK-based adult DM cohort. Methods Data from anti-TIF1-Ab-positive/-negative adults with verified diagnoses of DM from the UK Myositis Network register were analysed. Each patient was followed up until they developed cancer. Kaplan–Meier methods and Cox proportional hazard modelling were employed to estimate the cumulative cancer incidence. Results Data from 263 DM cases were analysed, with a total of 3252 person-years and a median 11 years of follow-up; 55 (21%) DM cases were anti-TIF1-Ab positive. After 10 years of follow-up, a higher proportion of anti-TIF1-Ab-positive cases developed cancer compared with anti-TIF1-Ab-negative cases: 38% vs 15% [hazard ratio 3.4 (95% CI 2.2, 5.4)]. All the detected malignancy cases in the anti-TIF1-Ab-positive cohort occurred between 3 years prior to and 2.5 years after DM onset. No cancer cases were detected within the following 7.5 years in this group, whereas cancers were detected during this period in the anti-TIF1-Ab-negative cases. Ovarian cancer was more common in the anti-TIF1-Ab-positive vs -negative cohort: 19% vs 2%, respectively (P < 0.05). No anti-TIF1-Ab-positive case <39 years of age developed cancer, compared with 21 (53%) of those ≥39 years of age. Conclusion Anti-TIF1-Ab-positive-associated malignancy occurs exclusively within the 3 year period on either side of DM onset, the risk being highest in those ≥39 years of age. Cancer types differ according to anti-TIF1-Ab status, and this may warrant specific cancer screening approaches.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Po-Yuan Wu ◽  
Te-Mao Li ◽  
Shu-I. Chen ◽  
Chao-Jung Chen ◽  
Jian-Shiun Chiou ◽  
...  

Pemphigus is a life-threatening and skin-specific inflammatory autoimmune disease, characterized by intraepidermal blistering between the mucous membranes and skin. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been used as an adjunct therapy for treating many diseases, including pemphigus. However, there are still limited studies in effects of CHM treatment in pemphigus, especially in Taiwan. To more comprehensively explore the effect of long-term CHM treatment on the overall mortality of pemphigus patients, we performed a retrospective analysis of 1,037 pemphigus patients identified from the Registry for Catastrophic Illness Patients database in Taiwan. Among them, 229 and 177 patients were defined as CHM users and non-users, respectively. CHM users were young, predominantly female, and had a lesser Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) than non-CHM users. After adjusting for age, sex, prednisolone use, and CCI, CHM users had a lower overall mortality risk than non-CHM users (multivariate model: hazard ratio (HR): 0.422, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.242–0.735, p = 0.0023). The cumulative incidence of overall survival was significantly higher in CHM users than in non-users (p = 0.0025, log rank test). Association rule mining and network analysis showed that there was one main CHM cluster with Qi–Ju–Di–Huang–Wan (QJDHW), Dan–Shen (DanS; Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae; Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge), Jia–Wei–Xiao–Yao-–San (JWXYS), Huang–Lian (HL; Rhizoma coptidis; Coptis chinensis Franch.), and Di–Gu–Pi (DGP; Cortex lycii; Lycium barbarum L.), while the second CHM cluster included Jin–Yin–Hua (JYH; Flos lonicerae; Lonicera hypoglauca Miq.) and Lian–Qiao (LQ; Fructus forsythiae; Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl). In Taiwan, CHMs used as an adjunctive therapy reduced the overall mortality to approximately 20% among pemphigus patients after a follow-up of more than 6 years. A comprehensive CHM list may be useful in future clinical trials and further scientific investigations to improve the overall survival in these patients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 153473541982883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Wong ◽  
Bing Zhong Chen ◽  
Allyson Kin Yan Lee ◽  
Adrian Ho Cheung Chan ◽  
Justin Che Yuen Wu ◽  
...  

Background and Aims: Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all cancers (4%), and it accounts for 1.9% of new cancer cases in Hong Kong. Combined treatment with Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and Western medicine has yielded promising results, leading to improved prognosis and overall survival. This retrospective case series aimed to illustrate the improved survival and quality of life outcomes of pancreatic cancer patients administered CHM based on traditional Chinese medicine theory. Methods: To investigate the effectiveness of CHM in prolonging overall survival, 182 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer who received CHM treatment were observed from 2005 to 2015. Results: One hundred eighty-two pancreatic cancer patients were treated with CHM; 21 patients died. The mean and median survival of these patients were 29.6 and 15.2 months, respectively; the 1-year survival rate was 76% (range = 4 months to 9 years). These results are better than those reported in patients treated with Western medicine, suggesting the need for further study of CHM. Conclusion: A superior clinical outcome may be obtained with CHM treatment. The case series illustrates the potential benefits and safety issues of CHM in pancreatic cancer patients that could be relevant for developing strategies to increase individualization of pancreatic cancer treatment and improve survival. This study may facilitate interprofessional communication and improved clinical management of pancreatic cancer patients.


2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 126-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsiu-Ying Hung ◽  
Yen-Han Tseng ◽  
Chia-Miao Liao ◽  
Sung-Yi Chen ◽  
Ta-Peng Wu ◽  
...  

Background. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been used for thousands of year in Eastern countries. First-line epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment is the standard treatment in stage IV pulmonary adenocarcinoma patients who had tumor EGFR mutations. This study was to find the efficacy of CHM on lung cancer treatment. Materials and Methods. We retrospectively reviewed chart records of our stage IV EGFR-mutated pulmonary adenocarcinoma patients who received first-line EGFR-TKI treatment from January 2010 to September 2014. Results. Total, 527 patients were studied. Among them, 34 patients received CHM treatment, including 24 patients who received CHM treatment from the beginning of first-line EGFR-TKI treatment and 10 patients who started to receive CHM treatment after their disease had progressed to EGFR-TKI treatment. Median progression-free survival (PFS) of first-line EGFR-TKI treatment was numerically better in patients who also received CHM than those who did not (12.1 months vs 10.5 months, P = .7668). Overall survival of those 24 patient who received CHM treatment together with EGFR-TKI was 30.63 months (95% CI = 11.7 to not reached), compared to 23.67 months in the remaining patients (95% CI = 21.37-26; hazard ratio = 0.75; P = .399). No increase of CHM-related toxicities was found during CHM treatment, compared with EGFR-TKI treatment alone ( P > .05). Conclusion. Alternative CHM treatment during first-line EGFR-TKI treatment did no harm to the patients and PFS and overall survival was numerically better, although not significant, than those patients who did not receive CHM treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mu-Lin Chiu ◽  
Yu-Lung Hsu ◽  
Chao-Jung Chen ◽  
Te-Mao Li ◽  
Jian-Shiun Chiou ◽  
...  

Aplastic Anemia (AA) is a rare but fatal hematologic disease that may occur at any age and especially higher in Asia. We investigated whether Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is beneficial to AA patients as a complementary therapy using a nationwide population-based database in Taiwan between 2000–2016. Patient survival was estimated by Kaplan‒Meier survival analyses and Cox proportional-hazard model. CHM-users presented lower risks of overall and anemia-related mortalities when compared to non-users. The risk of overall mortality for CHM-users in AA patients was 0.70-fold [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.66-0.74, p &lt; 0.001). The risk of anemia-related mortality was lower in CHM-users when compared to non-users (aHR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.32-0.67, p &lt; 0.001). The association rule analysis revealed that CHM pairs were Ban-Zhi-Lian (BZL; Scutellaria barbata D. Don)→Bai-Hua-She-She-Cao (BHSSC; Oldenlandia diffusa (Willd.) Roxb.), followed by Dang-Gui (DG; Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels)→Huang-Qi (HQi; Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge), and Xian-He-Cao (XHC; Agrimonia pilosa f. borealis (Kitag.) Chu)→Gui-Pi-Tang (GPT). Network analysis showed that BZL, BHSSC, DG, HQi, XHC, GPT, and Dan-Shen (DanS; Salvia miltiorrhiza var. charbonnelii (H.Lév.) C.Y.Wu) were commonly used CHMs for AA patients. Therefore, further studies for these commonly prescribed herbs are needed in functional investigations in hematopoiesis-stimulating effect and large-scale randomized controlled trials (RCT) in bone marrow failure related diseases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 153473541988368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cui Shao ◽  
Qian Zuo ◽  
Jietao Lin ◽  
Rong Jian Yu ◽  
Yuanfeng Fu ◽  
...  

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading contributors to cancer-related mortality and morbidity worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicines have been widely employed to treat various types of cancer in China. This investigation aims to determine the association between Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) therapy and survival outcomes in CRC patients with liver-limited metastases. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed among patients with colorectal liver metastases at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine in Guangzhou, China. Data from a series of consecutive patients were collected via an electronic medical record system or telephone follow-up. We defined high exposure as a period of CHM therapy lasting more than 6 months. The primary outcome was overall survival. Results: The study included the data of 191 patients from January 2008 to December 2017; 126 patients (65.97%) met the inclusion criteria of high exposure to CHM. Multivariate analyses revealed that high exposure to CHM was associated with better overall survival (hazard ratio = 0.444, 95% confidence interval = [0.213, 0.926], P = .030). The association was further confirmed by a subgroup exploratory analysis. Conclusion: Long-term CHM therapy is correlated with improved survival outcomes in CRC patients with liver-limited metastases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Xu ◽  
Yongchun Deng ◽  
Zhi Zhou ◽  
Yi Huang

Objective. To examine the efficacy of Chaihu-huaji decoction combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the data of 125 HCC patients treated in Chongqing Cancer Hospital between January 2012 and December 2014, including 64 patients who received Chaihu-huaji decoction and TACE (Chaihu-huaji group) and 61 patients who received only TACE (control group). The patients were examined until the last follow-up or death. Complications, hepatotoxicity, and nephrotoxicity were compared between the two groups. Results. Fever, nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, and leukocytopenia were alleviated in patients who received Chaihu-huaji decoction, and no cases of significant hepatic and renal toxicities related to the herbal medicine were observed in the Chaihu-huaji group. The 3-year overall survival probability was significantly higher in the Chaihu-huaji group (26.47%) than in the control group (13.06%). Conclusion. Chaihu-huaji decoction may prevent adverse events after TACE and prolong overall survival of unresectable HCC patients when combined with TACE.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Ming-Hsien Yeh ◽  
Hung-Pin Chiu ◽  
Mei-Chun Wu ◽  
Malcolm Koo ◽  
Nai-Wei Lin ◽  
...  

Recent studies suggested that Traditional Chinese Medicine could play a beneficial role in conventional cancer treatment. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the effect of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) combined with Western medicine on the survival of patients with colorectal cancer. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer identified from the Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital Cancer Registry Database in 2004–2014. Combining with the medical records of the study hospital, patients were classified into CHM users and CHM nonusers. Kaplan–Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to investigate the survival between CHM users and CHM nonusers. A total of 535 patients with colorectal cancer were included in the study with 147 of them were CHM users. The log-rank test for Kaplan–Meier survival curve revealed a statistically significant difference between the survival of CHM users and CHM nonusers (P=0.006). Results from multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that CHM use was significantly associated with better survival (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.38 to 0.77). In addition, the CHM formulae Jia Wei Xiao Yao San, Zhi Bah Di Huang Wan, Ping Wei San, and Qui Pi Tang were significantly associated with better survival. In conclusion, findings from this retrospective cohort study indicated that integrated CHM and Western medicine could improve survival in patients with colorectal cancer. Additional research on integrating TCM with Western medicine to improve cancer survival is warranted.


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