Original Article-Clinical Research Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine: Volume 1 January, 2003 Number 1DOI: 10.3736/jcim20030112 Evaluation of therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese medicine combined with western medicine on breast cancer after resection: Analysis of 71 cases 1. SHEN Ye-Hua (Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Cancer Hospital,Fudan University, Shanghai 200032,China E-mail: yehua_sh@citiz.net ) 2. SONG Ming-Zhi (Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Cancer Hospital,Fudan University,Shanghai 200032,China ) 3. HUANG Wen-Xia (Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Cancer Hospital,Fudan University,Shanghai 200032,China )
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) combined with western medicine on breast cancer after surgical resection.
Methods: Seventy-one patients with breast cancer received chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy and TCM following resection.
Results: None of the patients died during the follow-up period.Fifty-seven patients were treated with TCM shortly after undergoing resection.Two recurrences (3.5%) and 6 metastases (10.5%) were observed in 8 patients, whose median disease free survival was 5.9 years.Fourteen patients didn't receive TCM until recurrence or metastasis emerged, with a median disease free survival of 3.5 years.There was significant difference between the two groups (P =0.033).
Conclusion: TCM combined with western medicine is efficient in preventing and delaying recurrence and metastasis.