[Effect of Selaginella combined with radiotherapy on nasopharyngeal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the Chinese herbal medicine Selaginella-induced radiosensitization of terminal nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: Totally 180 patients with NPC were divided equally into 3 groups with the same radiotherapeutic protocols. The patients in group A received radiotherapy alone, those in group B were given daily Selaginella (30 g) prepared into 50 ml decoction during the entire course of radiotherapy, and those in group C had Selaginella 30 g daily in the late course of radiotherapy. RESULTS: The complete remission rate of nasopharyngeal primary lesions in groups B and C was significantly higher than that in group A, with also significantly higher complete remission rates of the cervical lymph nodes. The acute toxicity of the skin and mucous membrane was milder in the latter two groups, but the differences were not significant. CONCLUSION: Selaginella may induce radiosensitization for terminal NPC and does not increase the acute toxicity of radiotherapy.

[Hyperfractionated radiation therapy combined with concomitant chemotherapy for inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer: clinical analysis of 70 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of hyperfractionated radiation therapy and concomitant chemotherapy for inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Seventy patients were randomized equally into two group. The therapy group received radiotherapy with hyperfractionated radiation therapy combined with concomitant chemotherapy, and the control group was treated with chemotherapy only. RESULT: The overall response rate, including the rate of both complete (CR) and partial responses (PR), in the therapy group was 60.0% with a CR rate of 8.6%. The overall response rate in the control group was 40.0% with a CR rate of 5.7%. The difference in overall response rate was statistically significant between the two groups (P<0.05). The median survival time, 1- and 2-years survival rate were 12.8 months, 48.6%, and 25.7%, respectively, in the hyperfractionated radiotherapy group, and 9.4 months, 34.3%, and 17.1%, respectively, in the chemotherapeutic group (P 0.031). The major toxic effects of the chemotherapy were myelosuppression and radiation esophagitis. CONCLUSION: Hyperfractionated radiation therapy plus concomitant chemotherapy with paclitaxel for inoperable stage III NSCLC improves the short-term response of the patients, but fail to raise the survival rate.