Effectiveness and safety of combined treatment with herbal medicines and palliative chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer: A systematic review, and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Advanced gastric cancer (AGC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with its treatment complicated by challenges such as high recurrence rates, severe side effects, and limited effectiveness of current therapies. Herbal medicine (HM) has emerged as an adjunct to palliative chemotherapy (PC), potentially improving tumor response and reducing side effects. This study conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of HM in palliative therapy for inoperable stage Ⅲ and Ⅳ AGC patients.

Methods

Databases were searched until August 2023, encompassing 10 electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and ScienceON. The inclusion criteria focused on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) combining herbal medicine w

SUBMITTER: Kim DH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11795544 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature