The use of Chinese herbal medicine to improve quality of life in women undergoing chemotherapy for ovarian cancer: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial with immunological monitoring

Background: This study aimed to evaluate traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in improving quality of life (QOL), reducing chemotoxicity and modulating immune function in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Patients and methods: Patients with ovarian cancer were randomized to receive either TCM or placebo in addition to standard chemotherapy. The primary outcome was global health status (GHS) score, assessed by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaire, while the secondary outcomes were other QOL items, chemotoxicity according to World Health Organization criteria and alterations in immune function as measured by immune cells count and the numbers of cytokines-secreting cells. Results: There was no significant difference in the GHS between the two groups. With adjustment for stage, chemotherapy type, disease status, age and baseline value, emotional function, cognitive function and nausea and vomiting were found to be worse or less improved in the TCM group compared with placebo group after six cycles of chemotherapy. The TCM group had less neutropenia after three cycles (0% grade 4 neutropenia versus 28.6%). There were no other significant differences in terms of chemotoxicity. Lymphocyte counts and cytokine activities decreased less in the TCM group. Conclusions: TCM did not improve QOL but did have some effects in terms of maintaining immune function.