RESUMEN
AIM To explore the curative effects,adverse events,effects on immunity function and cost-effectiveness of Aiyu Capsules (Cremastrae pseudobulbus,Solanum lyratum,Angelicae sinensis Radix,etc.) or Fufang Banmao Capsules (Mylabris,Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma,Astragali Radix,etc.) combined with icotinib hydrochloride in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).METHODS One hundred and sixty patients with advanced NSCLC were randomly divided into three groups.The patients in icotinib hydrochloride group (n =80) took icotinib hydrochloride,125 mg each time,three times a day;the patients in Aiyu Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group or Fufang Banmao Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group were treated with Aiyu Capsules (40 cases,three pills each time,three times a day) or Fufang Banmao Capsules (40 cases,one pill each time,three times a day) combined with icotinib hydrochloride (125 mg each time,three times a day),respectively.Curative effects,adverse events,serum tumor markers,dendritic cell subsets and cost-effectiveness among the three groups were compared.RESULTS Eight weeks after the treatment,effective rates in the Aiyu Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group (82.50％) and Fufang Banmao Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group (97.5％) were significantly higher than that in the icotinib hydrochloride group (73.5％) (P ＜ 0.05).Six-month survival rates in the icotinib hydrochloride group,Aiyu Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group and Fufang Banmao Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group were 93.7％,97.5％ and 97.5％,respectively;one-year survival rates in the three groups were 53.7％,72.5％ and 75.0％,respectively;two-year survival rates in the three groups were 20.0％,37.5％ and 40.0％,respectively.One-year,two-year survival rates in the Aiyu Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group and Fufang Banmao Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group were significantly higher than those in the icotinib hydrochloride group (P ＜ 0.05).Myeloid dendritic cell (mDC) subsets' increases (d8week-d1) in the Aiyu Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group and Fufang Banmao Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group were significantly higher than that in the icotinib hydrochloride group (P ＜ 0.05).There was no statistical significance in plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) subsets' change among the three groups (P ＞ 0.05).Changes of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA),cytokeratin-19-fragment (CYFRA21-1),neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in the Aiyu Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group and Fufang Banmao Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group were higher than those in the icotinib hydrochloride group (P ＜ 0.05).Treatment costs in the Aiyu Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group and Fufang Banmao Capsules + icotinib hydrochloride group were significantly lower than that in the icotinib hydrochloride group (P ＜ 0.05).No obvious statistical difference in adverse events was found among the three groups (P ＞ 0.05).CONCLUSION The curative effects and cost-effectiveness of Aiyu Capsules or Fufang Banmao Capsules combined with icotinib hydrochloride are better than those of icotinib hydrochloride alone in the treatment of advanced NSCLC.