Short-term efficacy of Shenmai injection combined with FOLFOX chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer and its effects on immune function and tumor markers / 中国基层医药

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the short-term efficacy of Shenmai injection combined with FOLFOX chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer and its effects on immune function and tumor markers. Methods:Eighty-two patients with advanced gastric cancer who received treatment in Shengzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China between June 2018 and June 2020 were included in this study. They were randomly assigned to receive either FOLFOX chemotherapy (control group, n = 41) or Shenmai injection combined with FOLFOX chemotherapy (observation group, n = 41). All patients received three 21-day courses of treatment. Short-term efficacy of chemotherapy and improvement in quality of life were compared between the two groups. Immune function, expression of tumor markers (carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 724) and adverse reactions were determined before and after three courses of treatment. Results:Total effective rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [70.73% (29/41) vs. 46.34% (19/41), χ2 = 5.025, P < 0.05]. The proportion of patients had improved quality of life in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group [78.05% (32/41) vs. 56.10% (23/41), χ2 = 4.473, P < 0.05]. After three courses of treatment, the proportion of CD 3+ and CD 4+ cells and the ratio of CD 4+/CD 8+ cells in the observation group were (58.39 ± 3.14)%, (38.79 ± 2.35)% and (1.54 ± 0.17), respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the control group [(48.10 ± 3.01)%, (30.10 ± 1.78)%, (0.92 ± 0.15), t = 15.148, 18.875, 17.511, all P < 0.05]. After three courses of treatment, serum carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 724 levels in the observation group were (6.98 ± 1.45) μg/L and (7.85 ± 1.76) μg/L, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the control group [(15.47 ± 3.21) μg/L, (18.97 ± 3.25) μg/L), t = 15.434, 19.265, both P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusion:Shenmai injection combined with FOLFOX chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer exhibits good short-term efficacy, can improve the immune function, and reduce the levels of carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 724.