Clinical observation on radio- or chemo-therapy plus traditional Chinese medicine in treating brain metastases

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of radio- or chemotherapy plus traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) by Syndrome Differentiation in treating brain metastatic tumor. METHODS: Forty-one patients were randomized into four groups: Group A treated with chemotherapy plus TCM, Group B with radiotherapy plus TCM, Group C with chemotherapy alone and Group D with radiotherapy alone. The efficacies of the four groups were compared. RESULTS: The short-term response rate, living quality, 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year survival rate, median survival period and immunity of the Group A and B were significantly higher than those of the Group C and D (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Radio- or chemotherapy plus TCM by Syndrome Differentiation has the effect of tumor growth inhibition, survival period extension and living quality enhancement in treating brain metastases.