OBJECTIVETo evaluate the prognostic factors in treating primary liver cancer (PLC) patients by Pi-strengthening and qi-regulating method (PSQRM), thus providing evidence and optimizing Pi-strengthening and qi-regulating program.

METHODSClinical data of 151 PLC patients treated by PSQRM at Oncology Department, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2007 to March 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. The univariate analysis was determined to analyze possible prognostic factors. Selected key factors were introduced into the COX proportional hazard model, and multivariate analysis was carried out.

RESULTSThe 1-year survival rate was 21.85%, the median survival time was 6.80 months, and the mean survival time was 8.98 months. The univariate analysis showed that Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome types, clinical symptoms at the initial diagnosis, ascites, tumor types, ratios of foci, portal vein tumor thrombus, intrahepatic metastasis, a-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, total bilirubin classification, albumin classification, Child-Pugh classification, and domestic staging of liver cancer were significant prognostic factors (P < 0.05). The statistic data of multivariate analysis indicated that CM syndrome types, ascites, tumor types, portal vein tumor thrombus, AFP levels, Child-Pugh classification, and domestic staging of liver cancer were independent factors influencing prognosis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe prognosis of PLC treated with PSQRM is determined by multiple factors including CM syndrome types, ascites, tumor types, portal vein tumor thrombus, AFP levels, Child-Pugh classification, and domestic staging of liver cancer.