Compound Kushen injection combined with platinum-based chemotherapy for stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis of 37 RCTs following the PRISMA guidelines

Chen, Hongwei; Yao, Xiaojun; Li, Ting; Lam, Christopher Wai-Kei; Zhang, Ruonan; Zhang, Huixia; Wang, Jue; Zhang, Wei; Leung, Elaine Lai-Han; Wu, Qibiao

doi:10.7150/jca.40267

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J Cancer 2020; 11(7):1883-1898. doi:10.7150/jca.40267 This issue Cite

Research Paper

Compound Kushen injection combined with platinum-based chemotherapy for stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis of 37 RCTs following the PRISMA guidelines

Hongwei Chen^1,2#, Xiaojun Yao^1,3#, Ting Li^1,3, Christopher Wai-Kei Lam^1,2, Ruonan Zhang^1,3, Huixia Zhang^1,3, Jue Wang^1,3, Wei Zhang^1,3✉, Elaine Lai-Han Leung^1,3✉, Qibiao Wu^1,3✉

1. State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau 999078, China.
2. Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau 999078, China.
3. Faculty of Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau 999078, China.
# Equal contributors and co-first authors.

Citation:

Chen H, Yao X, Li T, Lam CWK, Zhang R, Zhang H, Wang J, Zhang W, Leung ELH, Wu Q. Compound Kushen injection combined with platinum-based chemotherapy for stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis of 37 RCTs following the PRISMA guidelines. J Cancer 2020; 11(7):1883-1898. doi:10.7150/jca.40267. https://www.jcancer.org/v11p1883.htm

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Abstract

Objective: Compound Kushen injection (CKI), one of the commonly used antitumor Chinese patent medicines, has been widely prescribed as adjunctive treatment to platinum-based chemotherapy (PBC) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the efficacy and safety of this combination therapy for advanced NSCLC remain controversial. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of CKI combined with PBC on patients with stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed following the PRISMA (Preferred Reported Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis) guidelines. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing CKI in combination with PBC versus PBC alone were retrieved and assessed for inclusion. Analyses were performed using Review Manager 5.3 (Copenhagen: The Nordic Cochrane Centre, The Cochrane Collaboration, 2014), Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.0 (Biostat, Englewood, NJ, United States; 2016) and Trial Sequential Analysis software (TSA) (Copenhagen Trial Unit, Centre for Clinical Intervention Research, Copenhagen, Denmark; 2011). The disease control rate (DCR) was regarded as the primary outcome, and the objective response rate (ORR), quality of life (QOL), survival rate, and toxicities were the secondary outcomes.

Results: Thirty-seven trials, recruiting 3,272 patients with stage III/IV NSCLC, were included. The results showed that, CKI combined with PBC resulted in significant improvements in DCR (RR = 1.11, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.15, P < 0.00001), ORR (RR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.40, P < 0.00001), QOL (RR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.55 to 1.92, P < 0.00001), 1-year survival rate (RR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.94, P = 0.001), and a 58% decline in the incidence of severe toxicities (RR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.49, P < 0.00001).

Conclusions: From the available evidence, our data indicate that CKI plus platinum-based chemotherapy is more effective in improving clinical efficacy and alleviating the toxicity of chemotherapy than platinum-based chemotherapy alone in the treatment of stage III/IV NSCLC. However, considering the intrinsic limitations of the included trials, high-quality RCTs with survival outcomes are still needed to further confirm our findings.

Keywords: Compound Kushen injection, platinum-based chemotherapy, non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), systematic review, meta-analysis.

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APA

Chen, H., Yao, X., Li, T., Lam, C.W.K., Zhang, R., Zhang, H., Wang, J., Zhang, W., Leung, E.L.H., Wu, Q. (2020). Compound Kushen injection combined with platinum-based chemotherapy for stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis of 37 RCTs following the PRISMA guidelines. Journal of Cancer, 11(7), 1883-1898. https://doi.org/10.7150/jca.40267.

ACS

Chen, H.; Yao, X.; Li, T.; Lam, C.W.K.; Zhang, R.; Zhang, H.; Wang, J.; Zhang, W.; Leung, E.L.H.; Wu, Q. Compound Kushen injection combined with platinum-based chemotherapy for stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis of 37 RCTs following the PRISMA guidelines. J. Cancer 2020, 11 (7), 1883-1898. DOI: 10.7150/jca.40267.

NLM

CSE

Chen H, Yao X, Li T, Lam CWK, Zhang R, Zhang H, Wang J, Zhang W, Leung ELH, Wu Q. 2020. Compound Kushen injection combined with platinum-based chemotherapy for stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer: A meta-analysis of 37 RCTs following the PRISMA guidelines. J Cancer. 11(7):1883-1898.

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