Résumé
Patients with cancer-related fatigue are prone to symptoms and signs such as anorexia， weight loss， and abdominal distension， which seriously reduces the quality of life and becomes an independent risk factor affecting the survival rate of patients with malignant tumors. Therefore， it is urgent to find effective treatment strategies and drugs. In the past， the academic viewpoint of improving syndromes—a new strategy for tumor treatment was proposed based on the guidance of the Luobing theory. Based on this， this article proposes the pathogenesis of cancer-related fatigue is characterized by spleen and kidney deficiency， stasis and toxin internal obstruction， as well as the treatment method of strengthening the spleen and tonifying the kidney， resolving blood stasis and detoxification guided by the core theory of the Qiluo doctrine of Chengzhi Tiaoping. The representative drug Yangzheng Xiaoji capsules has been developed， not only has good therapeutic effect on solid tumors， but also shows good advantages in treating cancer-related fatigue， which can help to restore the homeostasis of tumor bearing survival in patients with malignant tumors and provide new drug choices for the clinical treatment of cancer-related fatigue.
Résumé
OBJECTIVE@#To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and to explore its possible mechanism.@*METHODS@#A total of 80 patients with CRF were randomized into an observation group and a control group, and finally 67 patients completed the trial (36 patients in the observation group, 31 patients in the control group). Patients in the control group were treated with conventional chemoradiotherapy and symptomatic treatment, while no particular anti-fatigue intervention was adopted. On the basis of treatment in the control group, acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6), Fengchi (GB 20), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) in the observation group, once a day, 5 times as one course, with 2 days interval between each course, totally 4 courses were required. Before and after treatment, scores of functional assessment of cancer therapy-fatigue (FACT-F) in Chinese and McGill quality of life questionnaire (MQOL), serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and soluble TNF receptor-1 (sTNF-R1) were observed in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#①Compared before treatment, the FACT-F score was decreased after treatment in the observation group (<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the control group (<0.05). The change of the FACT-F score in the observation group was larger than that in the control group (<0.05). ②In the observation group, scores of physiological and psychological dimension were decreased (<0.05), score of social support dimension was increased after the treatment (<0.05). The score changes of physiological, psychological and social support dimension in the observation group were larger than those in the control group (all <0.05). ③After treatment, the serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α and sTNF-R1 were decreased in the observation group (<0.05), while the serum levels of CPR and IL-6 were increased in the control group (<0.05). The serum levels of CPR, IL-6 and TNF-α in the observation were lower than those in the control group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#①Acupuncture can improve the related symptoms of depression, weakness and headache in patients with CRF, strengthen their cognition of the support from society and family, and boost the confidence in curing the disease. ②Acupuncture can effectively down-regulate serum levels of the relative inflammatory factors, which may be its possible mechanism on treating CRF.