A Clinical Study on the Use of Yiqi Yangxue Decoction Combined with Chemotherapy to Promote Rapid Postoperative Recovery in Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE: To observe the promotion effect of Yiqi Yangxue decoction combined with chemotherapy on the rapid recovery of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients after surgery. METHODS: Eighty postoperative NSCLC patients admitted to our hospital from April 2019 to September 2021 were divided into a chemotherapy group (n = 40) and a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) group (n = 40) according to a random sampling method. Both groups were treated with surgery and postoperative routine chemotherapy. The TCM group was treated with Yiqi Yangxue decoction, one dose per day, starting from the first day of chemotherapy. Four weeks was a course of treatment, and three courses of treatment were taken continuously. The levels of serum tumour markers (carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA-125)), immune function indicators (CD3(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+), and NK cells), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score, and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were compared between the two groups before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy of the two groups was assessed with reference to the WHO efficacy criteria for solid tumours, and the toxic side effects of the two groups were assessed with reference to the WHO classification criteria for the toxic effects of chemotherapeutic drugs. RESULTS: After treatment, the levels of CEA, CYFRA21-1, and CA-125 were lower than those before treatment in both groups, and they were lower in the TCM group than in the chemotherapy group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of CD3(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+), and NK cells in both groups were higher than before treatment, and they were higher in the TCM group than in the chemotherapy group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the PSQI and ISI scores of both the groups were lower than those before treatment, and they were higher in the TCM group than in the chemotherapy group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the overall tumour control rate was higher in the TCM group than in the chemotherapy group (P < 0.05). During the treatment period, the TCM group showed lower levels of gastrointestinal reactions, leucopenia, anaemia, and neurotoxicity than the chemotherapy group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The combination of Yiqi Yangxue decoction combined with chemotherapy for postoperative NSCLC patients can effectively reduce serum tumour marker levels, enhance the body's immune function and sleep quality, and the patient's efficacy and toxicity reduction are obvious, which is conducive to the rapid recovery of many indicators after surgery.