OBJECTIVETo study the clinical efficacy and adverse reaction of comprehensive therapy mainly with Chinese anti-cancer medicinal perfusion/embolization and assisted with Chinese drug-therapy based on TCM Syndrome Differentiation in treating primary liver cancer.

METHODSForty-one patients with liver cancer were divided into the treated group and the control group. To the treated group turmeric oil microballoon, cinobufotalin, Aidi injection and iodized oil were given via hepatic artery perfusion/embolization, and to the control group chemotherapeutic agents and iodized oil were given for instead. Besides, both groups were given Chinese herbs according to TCM Syndrome Differentiation additionally.

RESULTSThe tumor inhibitory rate in the treated group and the control group was 77.78% and 69.57% respectively, with insignificant difference between them. The improvement of fatigue and anorexia in the treated group was better than that in the control group (P < 0. 05). The 6-month, 12-month and 24-month survival rate in the treated group and control group was 61.11% vs 56.62%, 27.78% vs 30.43% and 22.22% vs 26.09%, respectively, the difference between the two groups was insignificant. The occurrence of adverse reactions such as decreasing of white blood cells, platelet and hemoglobin, nausea and vomiting were obviously lower in the treated group than those in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONChinese anti-cancer medicinal perfusion/embolization has affirmative short-term clinical effect in treating primary liver cancer with few adverse reactions, which was tolerable to patients, but its long-term clinical efficacy needs further observation.