Ying-Chyi Song1,2,3, Kuo-Feng Hung4, Kai-Li Liang5,6,7, Jen-Huai Chiang8, Hui-Chi Huang1,2,9, Hui-Ju Lee1,2,3, Mei-Yao Wu3,4, Sheng-Jie Yu3, Hsin-Yi Lo10, Tin-Yun Ho10, Hung-Rong Yen1,2,3,4,10,11. 1. Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. 2. Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. 3. Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 4. Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 5. Department of Otolaryngology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 6. School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. 7. Faculty of Medicine, National Yang-Ming Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. 8. Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. 9. Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. 10. School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. 11. Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: To investigate the benefits of adjunctive Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: We included all patients diagnosed with NPC during 1997-2009 and followed until 2011 in Taiwan. We used 1:1 frequency matching by age, sex, comorbidity, conventional treatment, and index year to compare the CHM users and non-CHM users (n = 2542 each). The prescribed CHM was further investigated with regard to its cytotoxicity. RESULTS: Compared with non-CHM users, adjunctive CHM users had a lower hazard ratio of mortality risk, and a better survival probability. Gan-Lu-Yin (GLY) was the most commonly prescribed CHM, and it reduced cell viability, inhibited tumor proliferation, and induced apoptosis through the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and caspase-3-dependent pathway in human NPC TW01 cells. Oral administration of GLY retarded NPC-TW01 tumor growth in the xenograft nude mouse model. CONCLUSION: Real-world data and laboratory experiments implied that adjunctive CHM might be beneficial for NPC patients.
BACKGROUND: To investigate the benefits of adjunctive Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: We included all patients diagnosed with NPC during 1997-2009 and followed until 2011 in Taiwan. We used 1:1 frequency matching by age, sex, comorbidity, conventional treatment, and index year to compare the CHM users and non-CHM users (n = 2542 each). The prescribed CHM was further investigated with regard to its cytotoxicity. RESULTS: Compared with non-CHM users, adjunctive CHM users had a lower hazard ratio of mortality risk, and a better survival probability. Gan-Lu-Yin (GLY) was the most commonly prescribed CHM, and it reduced cell viability, inhibited tumor proliferation, and induced apoptosis through the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and caspase-3-dependent pathway in humanNPC TW01 cells. Oral administration of GLYretarded NPC-TW01 tumor growth in the xenograft nude mouse model. CONCLUSION: Real-world data and laboratory experiments implied that adjunctive CHM might be beneficial for NPC patients.