Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of TCM with supplementing Qi, nourishing Yin and clearing heat principle (SQNYCH) combined with chemotherapy in treating myelocytic leukemia.
Methods: One hundred and fourteen patients were randomly divided into the treated group (n = 68) and the control group (n = 46). To the treated group, SQNYCH was applied as the basic treatment, with combined chemotherapeutic protocol, using DA, HA and IA, to induce remission, and to the M3 patients, all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide were given. As for patients in the control group, only western medicine was administered.
Results: In the treated group 49 patients (72.1%) were completely remitted, 9 (13.2%) partially remitted and the total remission rate being 85.3%, which was significantly different from that in the control group. After treatment, the blood and bone marrow picture were obviously improved in both groups, but the increase of hemoglobin and platelet were better in the treated group than in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Immune functions were enhanced in both groups, but the elevation of CD4, CD4/CD8 ratio and NK cells were higher in the treated group than in the control group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01).
Conclusion: Application of SQNYCH principle in treating acute myelocytic leukemia could elevate the clinical efficacy, which is of great value in clinical practice.