Research progress on treatment of non-small cell lung cancer with traditional Chinese medicine based on immunotherapy.
10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20250506.501
- Author:
Ying-Ying ZHAO
1
;
Zi-Yu LU
1
;
Sheng-Long LI
2
;
Mian-Hua WU
3
Author Information
1. the First School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing 210023, China.
2. School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine Lanzhou 730030, China.
3. the First School of Clinical Medicine of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing 210023, China Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevention and Treatment of Tumours Nanjing 210023, China WU Mian-hua National Famous Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Studio,Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine Nanjing 210023, China.
- Publication Type:English Abstract
- Keywords:
immunotherapy;
non-small cell lung cancer;
research progress;
traditional Chinese medicine
- MeSH:
Humans;
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/therapy*;
Lung Neoplasms/therapy*;
Immunotherapy/methods*;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional;
Animals;
Tumor Microenvironment/drug effects*
- From:
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica
2025;50(16):4415-4424
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer worldwide, accounting for approximately 80%-85% of all lung cancer cases. Despite the clinical benefits of traditional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, challenges such as the high rate of postoperative recurrence and resistance of some patients to chemotherapy and targeted therapies limit their effectiveness, necessitating the exploration of more effective treatment options. In recent years, immunotherapy, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs), has revolutionized NSCLC treatment and significantly improved the survival prognosis of some patients. However, the efficacy of immunotherapy is limited by tumor immune escape, drug resistance, and immune-related adverse events(irAEs), which have not been effectively addressed. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), as a traditional therapeutic approach, has shown unique advantages in NSCLC treatment, with studies indicating its ability to enhance immune responses, regulate immune checkpoints, and improve the tumor microenvironment(TME), thus boosting the efficacy of immunotherapy. Additionally, the multi-target and multi-pathway effects of TCM help mitigate the side effects of immunotherapy, further improving efficacy and safety. This review summarizes the latest research progress of TCM in NSCLC immunotherapy, focusing on the research results of TCM in enhancing the effect of immunotherapy by regulating immune cells, optimizing the immune microenvironment, and being applied with ICIs, etc. The latest research progress of TCM in alleviating irAEs is also elucidated. The aim is to provide theoretical support for the clinical application of TCM in the prevention and treatment of NSCLC and the research and development of new drugs and promote the optimization and development of combined immunotherapy and TCM treatment models.
