Effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Liver Protection in Cancer Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Mei-Ling Liu, Li-Yin Chien, Cheng-Jeng Tai, Kuan-Chia Lin, Chen-Jei Tai
Primary Institution: Taipei Medical University
Hypothesis
Does Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) improve liver function and chemotherapy completion rates among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy?
Conclusion
TCM use during chemotherapy resulted in lower liver enzyme levels, indicating liver protection.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients using TCM had lower AST and ALT levels during chemotherapy.
- 76% of TCM patients completed chemotherapy compared to 59% of controls.
- TCM was associated with a significant reduction in liver enzyme levels during treatment.
Takeaway
This study found that using Traditional Chinese Medicine can help protect the liver for cancer patients getting chemotherapy.
Methodology
A case-control study analyzing medical records of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to non-random allocation of TCM treatment.
Limitations
The study may have selection bias as patients chose to seek TCM treatment, and it included a diverse range of cancer diagnoses.
Participant Demographics
63% female, ages 28 to 88, with various cancer types and stages.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.04
Confidence Interval
−10.08 to 3.11 for AST; −11.47 to −0.44 for ALT
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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