Effect of compound Maxing Shigan decoction on lung injury induced by radiotherapy and chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer and its effect on TGF-β1

Objective To investigate the protective effect of compound Maxing Shigan decoction on lung injury induced by radiotherapy and chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer and its effect on TGF-β1. Methods A total of 120 patients with stage Ⅲ non-small cell lung cancer were randomly divided into two groups by random number method, with 60 cases in each group. Patients in control group were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy and patients in observation group were treated with compound Maxing Shigan decoction during concurrent chemoradiotherapy. The incidence and classification of radiation-induced lung injury, the tumor curative effect, KPS scores at 1 week before concurrent chemoradiotherapy, end of the concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and 5 weeks after concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and the serum TGF-β1 levels of two groups were compared. Results After concurrent chemoradiotherapy, the radiation-induced lung injury rate of observation group was 11.67%, which was significantly lower than that of control group (35.00%, P<0.05). The radiation-induced lung injury rate ≥ 2 levels of observation group was 6.67%, which was significantly lower than that of control group (28.33%, P<0.05). The short-term effect of observation group was 70.00%, and short-term effect of control group was 63.33%, without significant difference between two groups (P>0.05). The KPS scores at end of concurrent chemoradiation and 5 weeks after concurrent chemoradiotherapy of observation group were significantly higher than those of control group (P<0.05). After concurrent chemoradiotherapy, serum TGF-β1 levels of two groups were significantly increased (P<0.05), and TGF-β1 level of control group was higher than that of observation group (P<0.05). Conclusion Compound Maxing Shigan decoction could protect the radiation-induced lung injury, reduce the incidence and severity of radiation-induced lung injury caused by concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and improve the life quality of patients. Its mechanism might be related to its improvement of serum TGF-β1 production.