Chinese medicinal herbs for esophageal cancer

Wei X, Chen Z, Yang X, Wu T

Published Online:

October 7, 2009

Chinese herbal medicines are widely used as adjunct therapy to chemo- or radiotherapy in patients being treated for cancer of the esophagus. As yet there is no evidence that herbal medicines are effective or not in this role. The authors performed a systematic review of the potential benefits of Chinese herbal medicines by comparing chemo- or radiotherapy for esophageal cancer with and without concurrent herbal medicines, and found that there were no RCTs in this field.

Abstract (click to read)

Background:

Esophageal cancer is the seventh leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Traditional Chinese herbal medicines are sometimes used as an adjunct to radiotherapy or chemotherapy for this type of cancer.

Objectives:

To assess the efficacy and possible adverse effects of the addition of Chinese herbal medicines to treatment with radiotherapy or chemotherapy for esophageal cancer.

Search strategy:

We searched the Cochrane Upper Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Diseases Group Trials Register, The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine Database), CBM (Chinese Biomedical Database), China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Cochrane Centre Controlled Trials Register and CISCOM (The Research Council for Complementary Medicine) (up to 10 July, 2008). Databases of ongoing trials, the Internet and reference lists were also searched.

Selection criteria:

Randomised controlled trials comparing the use of radiotherapy or chemotherapy with and without the addition of Chinese herbal medicines.

Data collection and analysis:

At least two review authors extracted data and assessed trial quality.

Main results:

We identified 43 trials which claimed to use random allocation. The first authors of all the RCTs we initially identified were contacted by telephone and we discovered that the authors had misunderstood the randomisation procedure. Using this new information, we reassigned all the identified RCTs as non-randomised trials. Because we identified no authentic randomised controlled trials, we were unable to perform a meta-analysis.

Authors' conclusions:

We were unable to find any evidence from RCTs on the effectiveness of TCM in the treatment of esophageal cancer. New trials should be carried out and we recommend that they are large scaled, correctly randomised and that the assessors of the results are blinded to the conditions of allocation.

This record should be cited as:

Wei X, Chen Z, Yang X, Wu T. Chinese herbal medicines for esophageal cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD004520. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004520.pub6

Assessed as up to date:

January 1, 2009

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Primary Review Group:

Upper Gastrointestinal and Pancreatic Diseases Group

Health topics:

Gastroenterology > Cancer: oesophagus > Treatment

Complementary & alternative medicine > Cancer > Other gastrointestinal

Complementary & alternative medicine > Gastroenterology > Cancer

Cancer > Oesophagus

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Chinese medicinal herbs for esophageal cancer

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