ABSTRACT
Lung cancer tops the disease list in the world due to the high incidence and mortality, and about 85% of lung cancer cases is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Most NSCLC patients are in the advanced stage at the time of diagnosis, with a low 5-year survival. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays a role in the comprehensive treatment of malignant tumors. Oral Chinese patent medicines, as an important part of TCM, have the advantages of stable preparations, mild taste, simple package, and accurate effective ingredients, which are different from decoctions. They have been widely used in the adjuvant treatment of NSCLC. In clinical practice, the combination of oral Chinese patent medicines with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or radiotherapy, as well as the application of the oral Chinese patent medicines alone, can increase efficiency, reduce toxicity, prolong the survival time of patients, and improve the quality of life. The mechanisms of oral Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of NSCLC mainly include inhibiting the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of lung cancer cells, promoting the apoptosis of lung cancer cells, inhibiting tumor neovascularization, reversing multidrug resistance, and regulating the immune functions, which reflects the multi-pathway and multi-target manner of TCM. The oral Chinese patent medicines commonly used in the clinical treatment of NSCLC include Jinfukang oral liquid, Shenyi capsules, Pingxiao capsules, Xiao'aiping tablets, Kanglaite capsules, compound Cantharis capsules, Huisheng oral liquid, Yangzheng Xiaoji capsules, Xihuang pills, Zilongjin tablets, and Cinobufagin capsules. There are many clinical and basic studies about the treatment of NSCLC with these medicines, while a systematic review remains to be carried out. Therefore, we systematically reviewed the mechanisms and clinical application of commonly used oral Chinese patent medicines in the adjuvant treatment of NSCLC, aiming to provide reference for follow-up research and clinical treatment.