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Meta-Analysis
. 2016 Feb;95(7):e2793.
doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000002793.

Chinese Herbal Medicine for Symptom Management in Cancer Palliative Care: Systematic Review And Meta-analysis

Vincent C H Chung  1 , Xinyin Wu, Ping Lu, Edwin P Hui, Yan Zhang, Anthony L Zhang, Alexander Y L Lau, Junkai Zhao, Min Fan, Eric T C Ziea, Bacon F L Ng, Samuel Y S Wong, Justin C Y Wu
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Chinese Herbal Medicine for Symptom Management in Cancer Palliative Care: Systematic Review And Meta-analysis

Vincent C H Chung et al. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016 Feb.

Erratum in

Abstract

Use of Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) in symptom management for cancer palliative care is very common in Chinese populations but clinical evidence on their effectiveness is yet to be synthesized. To conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis to summarize results from CHM randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focusing on symptoms that are undertreated in conventional cancer palliative care.Five international and 3 Chinese databases were searched. RCTs evaluating CHM, either in combination with conventional treatments or used alone, in managing cancer-related symptoms were considered eligible. Effectiveness was quantified by using weighted mean difference (WMD) using random effect model meta-analysis. Fourteen RCTs were included. Compared with conventional intervention alone, meta-analysis showed that combined CHM and conventional treatment significantly reduced pain (3 studies, pooled WMD: -0.90, 95% CI: -1.69 to -0.11). Six trials comparing CHM with conventional medications demonstrated similar effect in reducing constipation. One RCT showed significant positive effect of CHM plus chemotherapy for managing fatigue, but not in the remaining 3 RCTs. The additional use of CHM to chemotherapy does not improve anorexia when compared to chemotherapy alone, but the result was concluded from 2 small trials only. Adverse events were infrequent and mild. CHM may be considered as an add-on to conventional care in the management of pain in cancer patients. CHM could also be considered as an alternative to conventional care for reducing constipation. Evidence on the use of CHM for treating anorexia and fatigue in cancer patients is uncertain, warranting further research.

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Conflict of interest statement

VCHC is Honorary Research Fellow of the Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Flow chart for literature selection of randomized controlled trial on Chinese herbal medicine for symptoms management in cancer palliative care.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Meta-analysis on the additional use of Chinese herbal medicine for reducing pain score in cancer patients (Comparison: Chinese herbal medicine + chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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