OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of Chinese medicine for nourishing yin and clearing heat therapy (CM therapy) in treating nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients with yin deficiency-induced inner heat syndrome, and suffered from acute radiation oral mucositis.

METHODSSixty patients with NPC fitting to the inclusion criteria and undergoing initial dose radiotherapy were assigned to two groups. The 31 patients in the treatment group received CM therapy, and the 29 in the control group were treated with standard Western medical therapy. The condition of oral mucosa and epidermal growth factor (EGF) content in saliva of patients during the therapeutic period were observed, meanwhile the quality of life (QOL) of patients was estimated with the quality of life questionnaire-core 30 (QLQ-C30) issued by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC).

RESULTSAcute radiation oral mucositis occurred in all patients, but the severity in the treatment group was milder than that in the control group (P < 0.01). Salivary EGF content decreased along with the increasing radiation dosage, it decreased significantly when 40 Gy radiated and down to the minimum when 70 Gy radiated, but the decrement in the treatment group was less than that in the control group (P < 0.01). Comparison of QOL by QLQ-C30 scale showed that after radiotherapy the global health status in the treatment group was superior to the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONChinese medicine for nourishing yin and clearing heat therapy could actually postpone the occurrence of acute radiation oral mucositis, lessen the adverse reaction of radiotherapy and improve patient's QOL, show a favorable effect in prevention and treatment, and has definite application value for clinical spreading.