To observe the clinical effect of Tiaoying Yiwei Prescription (调营益卫方) combined with XELOX in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer.

A total of 60 patients with advanced colorectal cancer admitted from October 2022 to December 2023 were included in this study. The patients were divided into observation group and control group by random number table method, with 30 patients in each group. The patients in the control group were treated with XELOX regimen, while those in the observation group were treated with XELOX regimen+Tiaoying Yiwei Prescription. Before and after treatment, the treatment effect, the TCM symptom scores (fatigue, dry or loose stools, abdominal pain, sallow complexion, and emaciation), the serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen (CA199), carbohydrate antigen (CA242), T lymphocyte subsets and natural killer (NK) cell changes, adverse reactions, bowel cancer survival quality score (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy: Colorectal Cancer, FACT-C4.0 Chinese version) and physical condition Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score changes of two groups were compared.

The total effective rate between the control group and the observation group was significant (46.67% vs 73.33%) (P<0.05). Before treatment, the scores of TCM symptoms (fatigue, dry or loose stools, abdominal pain, sallow complexion, and emaciation), the levels of CEA, CA199, CA242, CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺, NK indicators, KPS scores, and survival quality scores in each group were not significant (P>0.05). After treatment, the scores of TCM symptoms (fatigue, dry or loose stools, abdominal pain, sallow complexion, and emaciation), the levels of CEA, CA199 and CA242 decreased in each group, while the KPS scores and survival quality scores improved. The scores of TCM symptoms (fatigue, dry or loose stools, abdominal pain, sallow complexion and emaciation), the levels of CEA, CA199 and CA242 in the observation group were lower than those in the control group after treatment, while the KPS scores and survival quality scores were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ and NK indicators in the control group decreased, while those in the observation group increased. The comparison of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ and NK indicators between the two groups after treatment showed significance (P<0.05). The incidence of chemotherapy-related adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, hair loss and diarrhea was lower in the observation group than that in the control group (P<0.05).

Tiaoying Yiwei Prescription combined with XELOX regimen has significant efficacy in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer, which can improve the clinical symptoms, immune function and quality of life of thr patients, and also reduce some side effects of patients. It is safe and worthy of application.