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Ben-Arie E, Lottering B, Inprasit C, Yip HT, Ho WC, Ton G, Lee YC, Kao PY. Traditional Chinese medicine use in patients with oral cancer: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study in Taiwan. Medicine (Baltimore) 2022; 101:e30716. [PMID: 36197175 PMCID: PMC9509120 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000030716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral cancer is frequently associated with smoking, alcohol consumption, and betel quid chewing, which are common harmful behaviors observed in certain cohorts of the Taiwanese population. Some reports have explored the potential therapeutic effect of certain herbal remedies on cancer treatments and the outcomes thereof. However, supportive evidence regarding the specific use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in oral cancer treatment is lacking and deserves further investigation. This study measured the use of TCM therapies for oral cancer in a Taiwanese population-based retrospective longitudinal cohort study. The Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database was utilized to conduct this study. The study population was limited to oral cancer patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2009, which were followed up for at least 5 years. Therapeutic strategies investigated included acupuncture and the Chinese herbs and formula used. Additionally, the frequency of TCM treatment visits, total medical costs, and all-cause mortality were also analyzed. Between 2000 and 2009, a total of 951 patients were diagnosed with various oral cancers. 13.7% of the diagnosed patients utilized TCM treatment measures. The majority of the patients were males. The top 3 common single herbs used were Xuán shēn (Radix Scrophulariae), Shí hú (Herba Dendrobii), and Mài mén dōng (Ophiopogon Japonicus). Then, Gān lù yǐn, Zhī bǎi dì huáng wán, and Sàn zhǒng kuì jiān tāng were the most frequently used herbal formulas. The survival probability was higher in TCM users when compared to non-TCM users in 5- and 12-year all-cause mortality (P < .05). This study explored the use of TCM therapies in oral cancer patients and identified essential information regarding the specifics of conventional herbal medicine used, affiliated medical costs, survival probability, and common symptoms observed in Taiwanese oral cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Ben-Arie
- Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Bernice Lottering
- Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chanya Inprasit
- Suphanburi Campus Establishment Project, Kasetsart University, Suphan Buri, Thailand
| | - Hei-Tung Yip
- Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Chao Ho
- Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Gil Ton
- Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chen Lee
- Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Acupuncture, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Yu-Chen Lee, Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung City 40402, Taiwan (e-mail: ) and Pei-Yu Kao, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung City 40402, Taiwan (e-mail: )
| | - Pei-Yu Kao
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- Surgical Intensive Care Unit, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- *Correspondence: Yu-Chen Lee, Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung City 40402, Taiwan (e-mail: ) and Pei-Yu Kao, Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung City 40402, Taiwan (e-mail: )
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