An EORTC randomized phase III trial of three chemotherapy regimens in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Alcohol Extract of YFXJ Decoction Reverses the Drug Resistance of Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Line A549/DDP

Objective

Lung cancer is the wide and common tumor. This study was designed to explore the effect of YFXJ formula on non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines.

Methods

YFXJ formula (mainly composed of Astragalus membranaceus, Atractylodes macrocephala, Radix Saposhnikoviae, Radix Glehniae, coix seed, Herba Sabina chinensis, Hedyotis diffusa, Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, sarcophagus martensii, Prunella vulgaris, Meretrix meretrix, and oyster) was extracted with 75% ethanol. We performed MTT, FACS, TUNEL, and mass spectrometry to study the effect of YFXJ formula on A549/DDP cells.

Results

The results showed that YFXJ could inhibit the growth of A549/DDP cells, and it can reverse the sensitivity of A549/DDP cells to cisplatin. YFXJ inhibits the expression of MDR1, MRP1, and LRP genes in A549/DDP cells.

Conclusion

YFXJ formula can reverse the drug resistance of A549/DDP cell, which could be through activation of autophagy.

Chemotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a look behind and ahead

Lung cancer is still the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Western countries. The 5-year survival rate in 2002 remains dismal. In advanced disease, chemotherapy is the cornerstone of treatment, but a crucial step is whether the impact of chemotherapy in the management of this disease justifies either the toxicity on patients or the always-rising costs. A number of randomized trials demonstrated a prolonged survival for patients treated with chemotherapy compared with best supportive care. However, newer platinum-based combination regimens have failed to take a major step forward; chemotherapy alone has reached a plateau of activity that could be partially solved by integrating molecular-targeted strategies in clinical practice. Quality of life remains a key issue in clinical decisions for metastatic patients. New answers will come by encouraging all fit patients to join clinical trials.