Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has some unique advantages in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Due to different ideas and mechanism of between TCM and biomedicine in the prevention and treatment of cancer, the clinial effect evaluation approches of biomedicine could not be used as a beneficial method to scientifically evaluate the effects of TCM. From three angles, this article analyzes the key issues regardsing the evaluation methods of TCM as an adjuvant therapy of cancer. It draws lessons from the idea of quality-adjusted survival (QAS), proposes Two-in-One (TIO) method to evaluate the effects of TCM as adjuvant therapy of cancer, which reflects the combined value of the individual patient dynamic information and provides methodological support for the effect evaluation of TCM.
Objective To discuss the performance of multi-disciplinary team (MDT) of colorectal cancer treatment within West China Hospital in Sichuan University. Methods To compare the therapeutic effect between groups of MDT model and non-MDT model by retrospectively analyzing the data of patients who diagnosed colorectal cancer and accepted in-hospital therapy during December 2006 and May 2007. Results The in-hospital days of the MDT model group during the perioperative period and in the surgical ward were less than that of the non-MDT model group ( Plt; 0. 05) , but there was no significant difference between the two groups about the total hospitalization time. And the MDT model group had a higher rate of cancer resection ( P lt; 0. 05) . Although the incidence of anastomotic leakage and bleeding as early postoperative complications didn’t show any variations between the two groups , the non-MDT model groupencountered more early postoperative ileus ( Plt; 0. 05) . During the 5－ 10 months follow-up , there came out less cancer recurrence rate in the MDT model group than the other ( P lt; 0. 05) . And the morbidity of anastomotic stricture and ileus didn’t show any statistical difference between the two groups. Conclusion The combined-therapy st rategy ofcolorectal cancer has showed a priority to routine ways , not only the more reasonable time arrangement for therapy , but also the more satisfied surgical outcomes. However , the factors correlated to the efficacy of the MDT model are not clear ; the MDT model still needs to be improved that a morereasonable and effective perioperative MDT model may come t rue.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of melatonin as an adjuvant therapy for the tumor patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Methods Such databases as MEDLINE (1980 to Jan. 2010), The Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2009), WanFang Data (1980 to Jan. 2010), CBM (1980 to Jan. 2010), CNKI (1980 to Jan. 2010), ELSEVIER ScienceDirect (SDOS, 1980 to Jan. 2010), Nature (1980 to Jan. 2010) and ongoing clinical trials (www.clinicaltrials.gov and www.controlled-trials.com) were searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The data were extracted and the quality of the included RCTs was assessed by two reviewers. Then meta-analyses were performed by using Stata 10.1 software. Results Eight RCTs were included. The results of meta-analyses showed that melatonin significantly improved the remission rate for tumor patients (RR=1.98, 95% CI 1.52 to 2.58) and the one-year survival rate (RR=1.90, 95%CI 1.28 to 2.83), and significantly reduced the toxic effects of bone marrow suppression caused by chemotherapy or radiotherapy (RR=0.12, 95%CI 0.06 to 0.27). No reports of adverse events were associated with melatonin. Conclusion The existing evidence reveals that the melatonin, as an adjuvant therapy drug for tumor, plays a certain role in improving disease remission rate, reducing the toxicity of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and prolonging the life. It requires more high-quality RCTs for further verification because of the limitation of the included studies.
Objective To formulate an evidence-based adjuvant therapeutic plan for a patient with large area pressure ulcers. Methods Based on an adequate assessment of the patient’s condition and using the principle of PICO, we searched The Cochrane Library (Issue 1, 2008), DARE (Issue 3, 2008), CCRT (Issue 1, 2008), MEDLINE (1980~ March 2008) and Chinese Journal Full-text Database CNKI (1979~2008) for the best available clinical evidence on adjuvant therapy of large area pressure ulcers with infrared rays, nutrition support and some special overlays. Results Two systematic reviews and three randomized controlled trials were included. According to the current evidence, as well as the patient’s clinical condition and preference, a comprehensive therapeutic plan was given to the patient. And in the next three months with the therapeutic plan, the patient’s large area pressure ulcers had already recovered. Conclusion Evidence based approaches can help us develop the best comprehensive therapeutic plan for the patient and will help improve the therapeutic results for patients with large area pressure ulcers.
ObjectiveTo explore the role of nutritional support in adjuvant therapy for respiratory failure. MethodsWe took 72 patients with respiratory failure who were treated in our hospital from August 2011 to January 2013 as the research objects. They were divided into two groups:control group and trial group, with 36 patients in each group. The division of the groups was in accordance with the state food and drug administration clinical trial institution ethics committee standard operating procedures. In the control group, 36 patients were provided with regular treatments according to their condition, like maintaining the respiratory tract unobstructed, oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation and anti-infection. In the trial group, we offered nutritional support in addition to the normal treatment. Consecutive 20 days was a course of treatment. After four courses, we inspected and put down two groups' respective clinical features, and made a contrast of their treatment conditions. We analyzed the treatments through observational indexes including assessment of eutrophication, treatment efficiency, pulmonary function and arterial blood gases. ResultsBoth groups had obvious therapeutic effects. The observational indexes in the trial group were better than those in the control group. The total effective rate was 91.7% in the trail group after treatment, significantly higher than that in the control group (66.7%) (χ2=8.692, P=0.003); the lung capacity, the ventilation flow ratio and arterial blood gas analysis values in the trial group was better than those in the control group. ConclusionThe effect of the nutritional support for the respiratory failure treatment is much better than the regular treatment. The total effective rate is improved while the death rate is lower than before and the patients recover quickly.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of thymalfasin (Tα1) as an adjuvant therapy for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after surgery.MethodsPatients with HBV-related HCC who underwent hepatectomy from February 2007 to December 2015 in West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu Military General Hospital, or the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively collected and divided into the Tα1 group and the observation group. Log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier curve were used to assess the overall survival, recurrence-free survival, and safety of patients. A Markov model was used to calculate the quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the Tα1 group compared with the observation group. Cost data was from the hospital information system of the three hospitals. Utility scores mainly came from published data. Sensitivity analyses were applied to explore the impact of essential variables.ResultsA total of 208 patients with HCC after liver resection were enrolled, among them 48 received Tα1 treatment (the Tα1 group) and 160 were only followed up (the observation group). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the baseline characteristics. The median overall survival of the Tα1 group and the observation group was 102.0 months [95% confidence interval (CI) (74.8, 129.2) months] and 81.6 months [95%CI (65.7, 97.6) months], respectively, and the difference was statisitically significant (P=0.047); the median recurrence-free survival was 66.7 months [95%CI (17.3, 116.1) months] and 37.4 months [95%CI (28.7, 46.2) months], respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.044). There were no grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ adverse events and no treatment-related death occurred. The ICER of Tα1 group was ￥108 050.02/QALY, which was less than the willingness to pay (￥177 785.25/QALY).ConclusionsTα1, as an adjuvant therapy for HBV-related HCC patients, can improve the prognosis of the patients, and the cost is within the acceptable level in our country, so this strategy is likely to be a cost-effective option compared with the observation group.
ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the effect of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treating epilepsy.MethodsThe randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of rTMS for epilepsy and related diseases were collected from PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang databases by computer. The retrieval time was from establishment to June 2019. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data and evaluated the deviation risks of the included studies. RevMan5.3 software was used for Meta analysis.ResultsA total of 21 RCTs were included, including 1 587 patients. The results showed that rTMS assisted antiepileptics drugs (AEDs) could improve the effective rate of epilepsy treatment [RR=1.28, 95% CI (1.19, 1.37)], significantly reduced HAMA, HAMD and NFDS scores in the treatment of patients with epilepsy combined with anxiety and depression [MD=−3.94, 95% CI (−4.25, −3.63)], and improve DQ and GMFM-88 scores in children with cerebral palsy combined with epilepsy [MD=7.95, 95% CI (7.00, 8.90)]. In addition, using rTMS will not cause additional adverse reaction [peto OR=0.52, 95% CI (0.31, 0.84)].ConclusionsThe current evidence showed that rTMS combined AEDs can improve the efficient of AEDs therapy. When treat anxiety depression comorbidity, it can significantly reduce the anxiety depression score. In addition in children with cerebral palsy merger, it can improve muscle strength and development. And rTMS will not cause additional adverse reactions. Limited by the quantity and quality of the selected studies, the conclusions need to be verified by more high-quality studies.