BACKGROUNDThe role of Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) is recognized in treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of TCM serving as consolidation treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty-two patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer were divided into two arms.Arm A(observation arm):81 cases,TCM serving as consolidation treatment after conventional treatment;Arm B(control arm):81 cases,only conventional treatment,no TCM serving as consolidation treatment.The TCM was given according mainly to the syndrome differentiation.Four types were found in the arm A:lung and spleen-qi deficiency type,the lung heat and phlegm-dampness type,the lung-yin and stomach-yin deficiency type,and the qi stagnation with blood stasis type.

RESULTS1-,2-,3-and 5-year survival rate accounted for 70.3%,37.0%,20.9% and 8.6% in arm A,and 61.7%,20.9%,8.6% and 3.7% in arm B,respectively.Median survival time was 18 months in arm A and 12 months in arm B,respectively.Statistically,2-and 3-year survival rate of arm A and arm B had significant difference(P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTCM serving as consolidation treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer might be closely related to 2-and 3-year survival rate and median survival time improvement,but not to 5-year survival rate.