Clinical Study on Liqi Huatan Prescription as an Adjuvant to Tamoxifen Citrate Tablets in the Treatment of Pulmonary Micronodules After Breast Cancer Surgery
Abstract: Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of Liqi Huatan Prescription as an adjuvant to Tamoxifen Citrate Tablets in the treatment of pulmonary micronodules after breast cancer surgery. Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 85 patients with pulmonary micronodules after breast cancer surgery who were treated at Pinghu Hospital of Chinese Medicine from January 2023 to June 2024. They were divided into the control group (42 cases) and the observation group( 43 cases) based on the treatment methods. The control group received Tamoxifen Citrate Tablets, while the observation group received Liqi Huatan Prescription in addition to the treatment given to the control group. Both groups were treated for six months. The following parameters were compared between the two groups before and after treatment:pulmonary nodule diameter,traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores,pulmonary function indicators [forced vital capacity( FVC),forced expiratory volume in one second( FEV1),FEV1/FVC ratio],serum tumor markers [carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), carbohydrate antigen 15-3 (CA15-3)], serum inflammatory factor levels [tumor necrosis factor-alpha( TNF-α),interleukin-6( IL-6),interleukin-1β( IL-1β)], and immune function indicators [T lymphocyte CD4+ , CD8+ , CD4+/CD8+ ratio, immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA)]. Results: After treatment, the pulmonary nodule diameter in both groups decreased compared with that before treatment (P<0.05), and the pulmonary nodule diameter in the observation group was smaller than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment,traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores in both groups decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05),and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment,levels of FEV1,FVC,and FEV1/FVC ratio in both groups increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the observation group showed higher levels than the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, levels of CEA, CA125, CA15-3, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in both groups decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05),and the observation group had lower levels than the control group (P<0.05). After treatment,levels of IgG,IgA,CD4+,and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in both groups increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the observation group had higher levels of IgG, IgA, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ ratio than the control group (P<0.05); CD8+ levels in both groups decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05),and the observation group had lower CD8+ levels than the control group (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: Liqi Huatan Prescription as an adjuvant to Tamoxifen Citrate Tablets demonstrates certain clinical efficacy in patients with pulmonary micronodules after breast cancer surgery, reducing pulmonary nodule size, improving pulmonary function,regulating immune function,and alleviating inflammatory responses.