OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Yangyin Humo Decoction (YHD) on oral mucomembranous reaction in patients with head-neck tumor undergoing radiotherapy.

METHODSForty-Forty-two patients with head-neck tumor undergoing radiotherapy were randomized equally into two groups. The two conventional Western medical treatment was administered to all, including intravenous dripping of 2% lidocaine 20 mL, dexamethasone 5 mg, gentamycin 80,000 units, vitamin B(12) 5 mg, dissolved in saline 250 mL, and 5% sodium bicarbonate solution for gargling, but to the patients in the tested group, YHD was given additionally. The medication was started simultaneously all through the whole course of the radiotherapy. Patients were examined every day to observe and compare the degree, initiating time, and repairing time of their oral lesions; the dosage of radiation they received was recorded as well.

RESULTSThe degree of mucomembranous reaction that appeared in most patients in the test group was of grade 1-2, while in the control group, it was grade 2-3. The average time for oral lesion of 1, 2, 3 grades to be initiated in the test group was 12.0+/-1.1, 11.0+/-1.3 and 10.0+/-0.8 days, respectively, after radiation started, which was later than that in the control group (P<0.01). Moreover, the average repairing time for the lesions of grades 1, 2, and 3 in the test group was 3.0+/-0.7, 10.0+/-1.3 and 19.0+/-0.8 days, which were shorter than those in the control group respectively (P<0.01). The radiation applied on the primary tumor of patients with oral lesion of grade 1-3 in the test group was 24.2+/-2.2, 42.0+/-2.6 and 58.0+/-1.6 Gy on the average, respectively, which were higher than that applied on patients in the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe Chinese herbal preparation YHD could alleviate oral mucomembranous reaction to radiation applied in patients with head-neck tumor.