Effect of Feitai Capsule (肺泰胶囊) on quality of life and progression-free survival of patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer

• Published in: Chinese journal of integrative medicine Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 106 - 111
• Main Authors: Yu, Zong-yang, Liu, Zhi-zhen, Ouyang, Xue-nong, Du, Jian, Dai, Xi-hu, Chen, Xi, Zhao, Zhong-quan, Wang, Wen-wu, Li, Jie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Chinese Association of Traditional and Western Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences 01.02.2012
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Capsules; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - surgery; Case-Control Studies; Disease-Free Survival; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - surgery; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Original Article; Quality of Life; Feitai Capsule; Chinese medicine; non-small cell Lung cancer; quality of life; progression-free survival; maintenance treatment
• ISSN: 1672-0415; 1993-0402
• DOI: 10.1007/s11655-012-0994-1

Objective To examine the effect of a Chinese medicinal herbal formula (Feitai Capsule, 肺泰胶囊) on the quality of life (QOL) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Sixty-two patients were randomly divided into the treatment group (31 cases) and the control group (31 cases). For the treatment group, 4 capsules (1.2 g/capsule) of Feitai Capsule were administered 3 times a day after meals for 3 weeks; then no drug was administered for 1 week. This schedule was continued for at least 3 more cycles (12 weeks totally). If there were no obvious toxic reactions, the treatment was extended. The patients were evaluated at least once every 8 weeks until progressive disease (PD). For the control group, the regular follow-up and evaluation were performed at least once every 8 weeks until PD. Clinical symptoms, objective response, physical constitution and energy, QOL, and PFS were evaluated regularly. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), a non-parametric test, and analysis of covariance were used to compare clinical features, amelioration of clinical symptoms, physical constitution and energy, and QOL. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the two-group PFS. Results Sixty patients finished the final evaluation, with 30 patients in each group. Baseline characters between groups were not significantly different ( P >0.05). The control group had a 36.7% improvement in clinical symptoms, while the treatment group had a 73.3% improvement. This difference was statistically significant ( Z = −2.632, P =0.008). The control group had a 26.7% improvement in the Karnofsky performance status (KPS), while the treatment group had a 53.4% improvement. This was also significantly different ( Z =−2.182, P =0.029). A comparative analysis indicated a positive correlation ( r =0.917, P <0.001). Compared with the control group, QOL in the treatment group was significantly improved, except in the social/family condition and doctor-patient relationship indicators. The PFS of the treatment group and control group were 6.23 months and 4.67 months, respectively ( P =0.048). Conclusion Feitai Capsule, a Chinese medicinal herbal treatment could improve the QOL and extend the PFS of the unresectable NSCLC patients.