Effect of Chinese Medicine XIAOJI Decoction Combined with Platinum-Based Chemotherapy and Transfusion of Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells in Patients with Stage III B/IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells in combination with chemotherapy and Chinese Medicine XIAOJI decoction in patients with advanced NSCLC. Methods: A total number of 40 patients with advanced NSCLC were randomly assigned into group A (chemotherapy plus XIAOJI decoction) and group B (chemotherapy plus XIAOJI decoction and CIK cell transfusion). Progression free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR), overall response rate (ORR), karnofsky score status (KPS), host cellular immune response and treatment related side effects were assessed. Results: Our results showed that the PFS in the group B was longer than those in the group A (9.1 months vs. 7.2 months, HR 0.323, 95% CI [0.157, 0.663, P=0.002].The ORR and the DCR were found no statistical difference between the two groups (20% vs. 10%, P=0.66 and 95% vs. 70%, P=0.10, respectively). The KPS distribution of curative effect in two groups showed significant different (Z=3.28, P 0.05). While the level of CD3+ and CD4+ were significantly higher after treatment in the group B as compared to that in the group A (P=0.04), the level of CD3+ in the control group was lower after treatment (P=0.04) compared to that in the treatment group. There were no immediate adverse reactions in two groups. Conclusion: This study suggests that CIK cell infusion combined with chemotherapy and XIAOJI decoction improves the survival of patients with advanced NSCLC, which may become more effective therapeutic strategy in patients with advanced lung cancer.