ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate Zhuang medicine Fuzheng compound combined with epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in the treatment of advanced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) sensitive mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:A total of 120 patients with advanced NSCLC who met the inclusion criteria from June 2019 to May 2020 in Guangxi International Zhuang Medical Hospital were divided into 2 groups according to the random number table method, with 60 in each group. The control group was treated with TKIs, and the observation group was treated with Zhuang medicine Fuzheng compound combined with EGFR-TKIs. TCM syndrome scores were compared, and the quality of life of the patients was assessed by the Quality of Life Scale (QLQ-C30). The serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), squamous cell carcinoma associated antigen (SCC-Ag) and carbohydrate antigen 50 (CA50) were detected by radioimmunoassay, and the levels of CD3 +, CD4 +, and CD8 + were detected by flow cytometry, and the CD4 +/CD8 + ratio was calculated. The adverse reactions during the treatment were observed and recorded. Results:The objective remission rate in the observation group was 66.7% (40/60) and the disease control rate was 81.7% (49/60), while in the control group were 48.3% (29/60) and 63.3% (38/60), respectively.The differences were statistically significant ( χ2 values were 4.13 and 5.06, P values were 0.042 and 0.025, respectively). After treatment, the scores of chest tightness, shortness of breath, blood in sputum, mental fatigue in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( t values were 8.72, 5.02, 5.47, all Ps<0.001), After treatment, QLQ-C30 score in the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group ( t=5.21, P<0.01). After treatment, CEA [(31.45±4.56) mU/L vs. (38.98±5.71) mU/L, t=7.98], SCC-Ag [(4.87±0.93) μg/L vs. (7.29±1.25) μg/L, t=12.03], CA50 [(58.27±7.14) U/L vs. (66.48±7.94) U/L, t=5.96] levels were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.01); CD3 +[(52.43±5.01)% vs. (48.56±4.87)%, t=4.29], CD4 + [(54.89±5.03)% vs. (51.09±5.22)%, t=4.06], CD4 +/CD8 + [(1.95±0.28) vs. (1.65±0.27), t=5.97] significantly higher than those in the control group ( P<0.01), CD8 + [(28.12±2.70)% vs. (31.23±2.64)%, t=6.38] significantly lower than that of the control group ( P<0.01). During the treatment period, the incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was 13.3% (8/60) and that in the control group was 8.3% (5/60), with a statistically significant difference between two groups ( χ 2=0.78, P=0.378). Conclusion:The Zhuang medicine Fuzheng compound combined with EGFR-TKIs can reduce the level of tumor markers in patients with advanced EGFR-sensitive mutant NSCLC, improve patients' TCM syndromes, quality of life, enhance patient immunity, and improve efficacy.