The Efficacy Of The Traditional Chinese Medicine As Maintenance Therapy For Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer:A Meta-Analysis And Review

Background:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)for advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC),we performed a meta-analysis and systematic review of prospective randomized controlled trials(RCTs)comparing changes through dynamical observation on related indexes including both the short-term efficacy and the long-term efficacy in the course of the treatment between TCM group and control group.Methods:PubMed,Scopus,Cochrane Library,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),Wanfang Data,China Science and Technology Journal Database(CQVIP)were searched up to April 2016.All RCTs comparing TCM and control treatment as maintenance therapy for stage III to IV NSCLC patients in non-progression status after completing first-line chemotherapy were retrieved.Results:25 English-or Chinese-RCTs with 1654 patients were enrolled,843 participated in TCM group and 811 in control.Study enrollment from March 2005 to June 2014.All the included studies provided data of relevant factors such as TNM stage,first-line chemotherapy scheme,TCM prescription,control treatment and patients' compliance.We found that TCM as maintenance therapy significantly increased in the number of Overall Response Rate(ORR)(OR=2.23 95%CI=1.28-3.88 P=0.004),and so as in Disease Control Rate(DCR)(OR=3.15 95%CI==2.12-4.69 P<0.00001).No significant difference in Overall Survival(OS)time(WMD=2.26 95%CI=-3.44-7.97,P=0.44).Significant improvement was shown in Progression Free Survival(PFS)and performance status in the TCM group(OR=1.66 95%CI=0.41-2.91 P=0.009;OR=3.2695%CI=2.42-4.38 P<0.00001,respectively).Additionally,there is no complication reported.Conclusion:TCM appears to be efficacious to be used as maintenance therapy for advanced NSCLC patients in non-progression status in short-term effectiveness,yet limited in long-term survival.