[Clinical study on shenmai injection in promoting postoperative recovery in patients of breast cancer].
To investigate the effect of Shenmai injection in promoting postoperative recovery of patients with breast cancer.
                Eighty postoperative patients of breast cancer were selected and divided into two groups, the treated group (40 cases) was given intravenous Shenmai injection for 7 days and compared with the control group (40 cases) in wound healing time, postoperative drainage volume, complication and blood picture, and the NK cell, T-lymphocyte subsets (CD3, CD4, CD8), were compared before and after treatment.
                The wound healing time and postoperational complication in the treated group were less than those in the control group significantly. There was no difference between the two groups in WBC and platelet count, but the recovery of hemoglobin in the treated group was quicker than that in the control group significantly (P < 0.05), as comparing with the control group, the NK cell, CD4, CD4/CD8 ratio in the treated group were elevated faster than those in the control group significantly (P < 0.05).
                Shenmai injection was beneficial to the recovery of postoperative patients of breast cancer, to reducing the occurrence of complication and was favorable to conduct postoperative chemotherapy smoothly.
This review provides limited evidence about the effectiveness and safety of Chinese medicinal herbs in alleviating chemotherapy induced short term side effects. Chinese medicinal herbs, when used together with chemotherapy, may offer some benefit to breast cancer patients in terms of bone marrow improvement and quality of life, but the evidence is too limited to make any confident conclusions. Well designed clinical trials are required before any conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness and safety of CHM in the management of breast cancer patients.