The Characteristics and Mortality of Chinese Herbal Medicine Users among Newly Diagnosed Inoperable Huge Hepatocellular Carcinoma (≥10 cm) Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study with Exploration of Core Herbs

Shu-Ling Chen, Chia-Ying Ho, Wei-Chun Lin, Chao-Wei Lee, Yu-Chun Chen, Jiun-Liang Chen and Hsing-Yu Chen ()
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Shu-Ling Chen: Division of Chinese Internal and Pediatric Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
Chia-Ying Ho: Division of Chinese Internal and Pediatric Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
Wei-Chun Lin: Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Branch, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
Chao-Wei Lee: Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
Yu-Chun Chen: Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei 112, Taiwan
Jiun-Liang Chen: Division of Chinese Internal and Pediatric Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
Hsing-Yu Chen: Division of Chinese Internal and Pediatric Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan Branch, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-18

Abstract: For patients with inoperable huge hepatocellular carcinoma (H-HCC, tumor size ≥10 cm), treatment options are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with H-HCC who use Chinese herbal medicine (CHM). Multi-institutional cohort data were obtained from the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD) between 1 January 2002 and 31 December 2018. All patients were followed up for 3 years or until the occurrence of death. Characteristics of CHM users and risk of all-cause mortality were assessed, and core CHMs with potential pharmacologic pathways were explored. Among 1618 patients, clinical features of CHM users (88) and nonusers (1530) were similar except for lower serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) and higher serum albumin levels in CHM users. CHM users had significantly higher 3 year overall survival rates (15.0% vs. 9.7%) and 3 year liver-specific survival rates (13.4% vs. 10.7%), about 3 months longer median survival time, and lower risk of all-cause mortality. Core CHMs were discovered from the prescriptions, including Hedyotis diffusa Willd combined with Scutellaria barbata D.Don, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge., Curcuma longa L., Rheum palmatum L., and Astragalus mongholicus Bunge. CHM use appears safe and is possibly beneficial for inoperable H-HCC patients; however, further clinical trials are still required.

Keywords: Chinese herbal medicine; network analysis; inoperable; huge hepatocellular carcinoma; survival analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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