Abstract
Aims: The present report aims to investigate the use of Kampo medicine for advanced pancreatic cancer patients in order to prolong survival.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients with pancreatic cancer who presented to our Shimizu Clinic from 2000 to 2020. Patients who survived at least twice as long as the initial prognostic estimate were selected and their treatment was reviewed. The Kampo formula and crude drugs were selected according to the Kampo diagnosis and treatment strategy, which included qi and blood supplementation; qi, blood and water smoothing; and inflammation (termed “heat”) and cancer suppression.Results: Ten patients aged 45–80 years (six males and four females) with stage IV advanced cancer were selected. All patients received hozai, which is a tonic formula, of juzentaihoto (JTT) or hochuekkito (HET) decoction. Anti-cancer crude drugs were included in the decoctions of nine patients. At the first visit, the estimated life expectancy for all patients was no more than 1 year; however, treatment with Western and Kampo medicine led to a relatively long survival period of over 2 years. Three patients were still living at the time of this writing, more than 2, 6, and 14 years after treatment initiation.Conclusion: Our results suggest that Kampo medicine may be useful for disease control and supportive care for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
Highlights
Surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy along with anticancer drugs are the standard Western treatments for pancreatic cancer
For patients with advanced cancer who have not responded to Western medicine, an integrated treatment approach using Kampo medicine may be a useful alternative
We previously presented a case of a patient with advanced pancreatic cancer who survived for 7 years after diagnosis without a significant decrease in quality of life (QOL) [6]
Summary
Radiotherapy, and chemotherapy along with anticancer drugs are the standard Western treatments for pancreatic cancer. The therapeutic effects of these treatments are poor in cases of advanced disease, with a 5-year survival rate of 1.3% among patients with advanced pancreatic cancer [1]. For patients with advanced cancer who have not responded to Western medicine, an integrated treatment approach using Kampo medicine may be a useful alternative. Kampo medicine is beneficial for the treatment of cancer-related numbness, constipation, anorexia, muscle cramps, and fatigue [2]. Given this finding, the Japanese Society for Palliative Medicine has recommended the use of Kampo medicine and crude drugs in combination with Western medicine [3]. Improvement of symptoms during cancer treatment may extend the patients’ tolerance for longer treatment periods [4, 5]
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