Chinese herbal medicine, Jianpi Ligan decoction, improves prognosis of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma after transarterial chemoembolization: a retrospective study

Figures & data

Table 1 Components of Jianpi Ligan decoction with Latin and English names

Name in Latin	Name in English	Dose (g)
Radix Codonopsis	Pilose Asiabell root	20
Rhizoma Atractylodis macrocephala	Largehead atractylodes rhizome	10
Poria cocos	Indian Buead	15
Radix Glycyrrhizae	Licorice root	5
Rhizoma Diosscoreae	Common yam rhizome	15
Rhizoma Pinelliae	Pinellia tuber	10
Fructus Crataegi	Hawthorn fruit	15
Semen Nelumbinis	Lotus seed	20
Herba Artemisia scoparia	Virgate wormwood herb	50
Pericarpium Arecae	Areca peel	25

Note: Italics represents the names of herbals which are written in Latin.

Table 2 Patient characteristics

Characteristics	Control group (n=50)	JLD group (n=53)	P-value
Age (years)	47.22±11.21	46.75±12.47	0.8413
Main tumor size (cm)	5.45±1.34	5.62±1.31	0.5165
Sex (n of cases)
Male	41	45	0.6914
Female	9	8
Child–Pugh class
A	17	19	0.8441
B	33	34
Number of tumors
1–3	32	31	0.5664
>3	18	22
KPS
70	4	5
80	13	15	0.8063
90	18	17
100	15	16
Background liver disease (cases)
HBV	24	26
HCV	6	8	0.8589
Other	20	19
AFP level (ng/mL)
<100	10	12
100–400	18	17	0.9003
>400	22	24

Abbreviations: AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; HBV, hepatitis B virus; HCV, hepatitis C virus; JLD, Jianpi Ligan decoction; KPS, Karnofsky performance score.

Table 3 Treatment success

Treatment events	Control group (n=50)	JLD group (n=53)	P-value
Treatment success (n of cases)	40	51	0.0103
Treatment discontinuation (n of cases)	10	2
Sessions of TACE for treatment success (n of cases)			0.7160
3	22	30
4	18	21

Abbreviations: JLD, Jianpi Ligan decoction; TACE, transarterial chemoembolization.

Table 4 Complications

Complications	Control group (n=50) (n of cases)	JLD group (n=53) (n of cases)	P-value
Fever	18	14	0.2935
Pleural effusion	11	8	0.3665
Liver abscess	2	3	0.9467
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis	3	4	0.9364
Abdominal pain	14	10	0.2732
Constipation	15	7	0.0377
Abdominal bloating	12	5	0.0466
Fatigue	35	30	0.1591
Lack of appetite	42	35	0.0360

Abbreviation: JLD, Jianpi Ligan decoction.

Table 5 Toxicity

Adverse event	Control group				JLD group				P-value
	Grade				Grade
	4	3	2	1	4	3	2	1
Neutropenia	3	13	20	14	1	12	18	22	0.1533
Thrombocytopenia	1	17	12	20	0	12	22	19	0.5897
Anemia	0	10	16	12	0	9	10	14	0.1191
Nausea/vomiting	2	17	22	9	0	14	20	19	0.0445
Diarrhea	1	10	8	3	0	4	7	6	0.0901
Hepatic toxicity	3	16	14	11	1	14	11	7	0.0265
Stomatitis	0	0	5	8	0	0	3	6	0.2580

Abbreviation: JLD, Jianpi Ligan decoction.

Figure 1 Kaplan–Meier curves of 3-year overall survival.

Notes: During the first 3 years after treatment initiation, 37 patients from the control group and 33 patients from the JLD group died. The 3-year overall survival probability was significantly higher in the JLD group than in the control group (37.74% vs 26.00%; HR, 0.6171; 95% CI, 0.3832–0.9938; P=0.0365 by log-rank test).
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio; JLD, Jianpi Ligan decoction.

Figure 2 Kaplan–Meier curves of 3-year overall survival of patients who achieved treatment success.

Notes: Treatment success was achieved in 51 patients in the JLD group and 40 patients in the control group. Among these patients, 27 patients from the control group and 31 patients from the JLD group died during the first 3 years after treatment initiation. There was no significant difference in the 3-year overall survival probability of patients who achieved treatment success between the two groups (39.22% vs 32.50%; HR, 0.7449; 95% CI, 0.4398–1.2614; P=0.2491 by log-rank test).
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio; JLD, Jianpi Ligan decoction.

Figure 3 Kaplan–Meier curves of 3-year intrahepatic recurrence-free survival of patients who achieved treatment success.

Notes: Treatment success was achieved in 51 patients in the JLD group and 40 patients in the control group. Among these patients, 28 patients from the control group and 32 patients from the JLD group developed intrahepatic recurrence during the first 3 years after treatment initiation. There was no significant difference in 3-year intrahepatic recurrence-free survival probability in patients who achieved treatment success (37.25% vs 30.00%; HR, 0.7280; 95% CI, 0.4332–1.2233; P=0.2087 by log-rank test).
Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; HR, hazard ratio; JLD, Jianpi Ligan decoction.