Objective: To study the effect of Fuzheng Capsule (FC) and Quxie Capsule (QC) in reducing relapse and metastasis of colorectal cancer in stage II and III after the cancer had been treated by radical operation and succedent routine radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
Methods: A prospective cohort controlled study was conducted in 101 patients with colorectal cancer in stage II and III after radical operation and routine radiotherapy and chemotherapy, among whom 53 patients were treated with FC and QC and 48 were given no treatment, they were followed up regularly. The rate and time of relapse and metastasis were observed after 1, 2 and 3 years.
Results: One-year, 2-year and 3-year relapse-metastasis rate was 0, 2.7% and 14.8% respectively in the treated group, and 6.2% , 24.2% and 30.8% in the control group. Significant difference was found only in the 2-year rate between the two groups (chi-squared = 5.428, P < 0.05). Average time of relapse and metastasis was 26.2 +/- 4.5 months in the treated group and 14.2 +/- 4.2 months in the control group, showing significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: FC and QC applying in the succedent consolidating treatment for stage II and III colorectal cancer after radical operation might be favourable to reduce relapse and metastasis and improve quality of life, further clinical study with randomized and controlled method is worthwhile to be conducted.