Survival Analysis of Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated by Using Wheel Balance Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Objective. To investigate the clinical effect and the overall survival (OS) rate of patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have undergone Wheel Balance Cancer Therapy (WBCT). Methods. The cases of 33 patients with advanced NSCLC who were treated with WBCT at the East West Cancer Center (EWCC) between October 4, 2004, and October 3, 2013, without undergoing concurrent conventional treatment were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the OS of the cases, and the median OS was calculated according to age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS), conventional-treatment history, WBCT treatment duration, and histological tumor type. Results. The median OS of all patients was 31.1 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.5-58.7) months; the OS rates were 63.6% and 24.2% at years 1 and 2, respectively. The median OS rates of patients under and over 65 years were 45.2 (95% CI = 13.5-76.9) and 19.5 (95% CI = 7.1-31.8) months, respectively (P = .189). The median OS rates of patients who received WBCT for >14 days but <28 days and those who received WBCT for ≥28 days were 16.2 (95% CI = 13.3-19.2) and 45.2 (95% CI = 14.4-76.0) months, respectively (P = .437). The median OS rates of patients who had undergone prior conventional treatment and those who had not were 45.2 (95% CI = 9.1-81.3) and 3.9 (95% CI = unable to calculate) months, respectively (P = .000). The median OS rates of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and non-SCC lung cancer were 5.6 (95% CI = unable to calculate) and 45.2 (95% CI = 9.1-81.3) months, respectively (P = .262). The median OS rate of patients with ECOG PS ≥3 was 14.3 (95% CI = 8.8-19.8) months; that of patients ECOG PS <3 could not be calculated. However, the mean OS rates of patients with ECOG PS <3 and with ECOG PS ≥3 were 85.7 (95% CI = 58.4-113.0) and 12.7 (95% CI = 8.5-16.9) months, respectively (P = .000). No severe adverse events were encountered. Conclusions. Our study indicates that WBCT might be effective to prolong the length of survival for patients with advanced NSCLC who have previously undergone conventional treatment and have an ECOG PS <3.

Transition Rate from EGFR-TKI to Cytotoxic Chemotherapy Patients with EGFR Mutation-positive Lung Adenocarcinoma

“…It is possible that patients treated with Ct first showed a better prognosis relative to patients who received EGFR-TKIs first because the Ct first group may have had better PS than the EGFR-TKI first group. Several studies have reported that good PS at the time of first-line treatment affects OS (19). The present study was based on medical records of the Tokyo Medical University Hospital, but there were many cases in which the PS was not stated clearly.…”

Integrative cancer treatment may have a survival benefit in patients with lung cancer

“…WBCT consists of herbal medications, acupuncture, moxibustion, heat therapy for activating metabolism, exercise, an anticancer diet, and meditation. [9,10] Although other treatments lean toward managing symptoms and improving the immune system, the 3 treatments of WBCT the multiherbal formula containing Panax notoginseng Radix , Cordyceps militaris , P ginseng C.A.Mey. , and Boswellia carterii BIRDWOOD (HangAmDan-B1; HAD-B), the herbal formula containing Rhus verniciflua Stoke (Geonchil-jung), and (3) cultivated wild ginseng pharmacopuncture, are prescribed primarily for their anticancer effects.…”

“…By maximizing patients’ natural healing powers, WBCT, either combined with western therapies or administered as a sole therapy, has been reported to have the benefits of decreasing side effects associated with CCT, increasing quality of life, and preventing metastasis. [9,10]…”

“…Our previous study of patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) showed that WBCT significantly prolonged the survival time for inpatients who had previously received CCT and those who had the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status <3. [9] However, the characteristics and the survival rates of the patients with lung cancer included in that analysis did not adequately represent those of the usual patients with lung cancer receiving various traditional Korean medicine (TKM) treatments for cancers in different stages and with different progressions. The current level of evidence on the contribution of integrative cancer treatment (ICT) to survival for patients with lung cancer is insufficient.…”

The effectiveness of anticancer traditional Korean medicine treatment on the survival in patients with lung, breast, gastric, colorectal, hepatic, uterine, or ovarian cancer

“…[ 8 ] Our integrative cancer center has implemented anticancer TKM treatment (ACTKMT) as an integrative holistic cancer care for the past 20 years and has reported its benefits of reducing side effects associated with conventional cancer therapy, improving quality of life, and preventing metastasis. [ 9 , 10 ] However, this cancer treatment modality has not been studied through prospective survival analysis in terms of clinical impact by its key component.…”