Association of Sijunzi decoction plus chemotherapy with gastrointestinal function and serum markers in patients after gastric carcinoma surgery.

[BACKGROUND] The deleterious effects of surgical trauma and subsequent postoperative complications pose significant challenges to the smooth recovery of patients after gastric cancer (GC) resection despite the substantial curative benefits provided by surgical interventions for GC. Hence, the investigation of more optimal and efficacious treatment approaches has become an urgent necessity in the medical community.

[AIM] To investigate the association of Sijunzi decoction plus chemotherapy with the gastrointestinal function and serum markers of patients after GC surgery.

[METHODS] This study included patients who underwent GC surgery from June 2022 to February 2024. The control group included 45 patients who received chemotherapy (oxaliplatin + calcium folinate + 5-fluorouracil), whereas the research group consisted of 54 patients who received Sijunzi decoction therapy in addition to the treatment administered in the control group. Comparative analyses were conducted from the following perspectives: Gastrointestinal function (defecation time, intestinal gas discharge time, and hospitalization time), serum markers [carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125, and CA199], nutritional indicators [total protein (TP) and transferrin (TRF), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score, and grades III-IV adverse events (gastrointestinal reactions, renal/liver function impairment, and myelosuppression).

[RESULTS] The two groups demonstrated similar defecation time ( > 0.05), but the intestinal gas discharge time and hospitalization time were significantly shortened in the research group ( < 0.05). Further, the research group exhibited significant CEA, CA125, and CA199 reductions after treatment, which were lower compared to the control group, as well as notable increases in TP and TRF that were statistically higher than the control group (all < 0.05). Furthermore, the research group demonstrated an evident decrease in TCM syndrome scores in areas, such as poor appetite, epigastric distension and pain, fatigue and weakness ( < 0.01), and abdominal distension after eating, which are notably lower than those in the control group ( < 0.01), with a comparable incidence of grades III-IV adverse events ( > 0.05).

[CONCLUSION] Our research results indicate that Sijunzi decoction plus chemotherapy exerts a good rehabilitation-promoting effect on gastrointestinal function in patients after GC surgery and significantly downregulates abnormally increased CEA, CA125, and CA199 levels.