To investigate the clinical effect of Modified Longdan Xiegan Decoction (龙胆泻肝汤加减) combined with hepatic artery chemoembolization in the treatment of primary liver cancer complicated with portal vein cancer thrombus.

A total of 64 patients with primary liver cancer complicated with portal vein cancer thrombus admitted from January 2020 to January 2023 were included in the study and divided into into chemoembolization group (32 cases) and combined Chinese medicine group (32 cases) by random number table method. The patients in the chemoembolization group were treated with hepatic artery chemoembolization. Those in the combined Chinese medicine group were treated with Longdan Xiegan Decoction combined with hepatic artery chemoembolization, and the data of the patients in each group was observed, including the clinical efficacy, the changes in the total scores of TCM symptoms and the changes in the quality of life (QOL) before and after treatment, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scores, the changes of tumor markers such as Alpha-Feto protein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM), adverse reactions and 1-year survival rate.

The total effective rate of the combined Chinese medicine group was higher than that of the chemoembolization group (P<0.05). The total TCM syndrome scores, QOL score, ECOG score, tumor markers (AFP and CEA), immune function indexes (IgA, IgG, IgM) and other indexes were not significant between the two groups before treatment (P>0.05). After treatment, the total TCM syndrome scores, QOL score, ECOG score, tumor markers (AFP and CEA), immune function indexes (IgA, IgG, IgM) and other indexes were improved in both groups. These indexes in the combined Chinese medicine group were better than those in the chemoembolization group (P<0.05). The incidence of gastrointestinal discomfort and alopecia in the combined Chinese medicine group was lower than that in the chemoembolization group (P<0.05). The 1-year survival rate in the combined Chinese medicine group was higher than that in the chemoembolization group (P<0.05).

Modified Longdan Xiegan Decoction combined with hepatic artery chemoembolization has good clinical effect in the treatment of primary liver cancer complicated with portal vein cancer embolus, which can improve the patients'quality of life, immune ability and physical condition, reduce the rate of chemotherapy adverse reactions to a certain extent, and improve the 1-year survival rate of the patients.