United States: A new study suggests that an experimental drug which is properly based on ancient Chinese medicine, might help cancer patients feel better during their treatment.
This drug, called YIV-906, could reduce the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In the study, 24 patients with rectal cancer reported fewer stomach problems after taking YIV-906.
As reported by HealthDay, this drug comes from a treatment or a cure we can say, that has been used for 1,800 years, which includes ingredients like licorice, dates, peonies, and skullcap. Researchers hope this drug will continue to help patients manage side effects from their cancer treatments.
Positive Early Results and Continued Research
This study is the first demonstration of YIV-906’s effectiveness in reducing GI toxicity caused by chemotherapy and radiation, showing the medicine’s potential of improving the patient’s quality of life while increasing treatment effectiveness,” said co-researcher Yung-Chi Cheng, a professor of pharmacology at Yale School of Medicine who helped develop the drug.
As for the four-year phase and 2 study and the patients were given capsules of YIV-906 along with chemo and radiation prior to surgery.
At the particular time of the surgery almost about 17 percent of the patients had a complete or near-complete response to their cancer treatment, while the overall survival and the rate at the five years was 82 percent results show.
Only two cases of the very serious diarrhea were reported among the patients and YIV-906 is meant to ease the side effects of like diarrhea, fatigue and nausea.
Ongoing Trials and Future Potential
“We did not encounter any severe side effects with the drug, and patients reported no difficulties to find it easy to take the drug in meant form that is a pill,” Dr Susan Higgins, the senior researcher, is a professor of therapeutic radiology, Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Reproductive Sciences at Yale.
Due to these outcomes, researchers continue to test this kind of anti-cancer drug called YIV-906 in other pelvic cancer patients, according to a Yale new release.
As a result of the positive effect of YIV-906, patients may receive more impressive doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which will help to combat cancer more effectively, the authors emphasized.
About the Author
