Bojungikgi-tang for Chemotherapy-induced Leukopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Integrative Oncology
• Hematology
• Traditional Chinese Medicine

Background:

• Chemotherapy-induced leukopenia is a common, dose-limiting side effect of cancer treatment.
• Leukopenia can lead to treatment delays, reductions, or discontinuation, impacting patient outcomes.
• Alternative and complementary therapies are sought to mitigate this adverse effect.

Approach:

• A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on 10 randomized controlled studies.
• Searched multiple electronic databases (English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean) for studies on Bojungikgi-tang and chemotherapy-induced leukopenia.
• Data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and meta-analysis were performed on selected studies involving 715 participants.

Key Points:

• Bojungikgi-tang significantly decreased the incidence of chemotherapy-induced leukopenia (OR: 0.41, P=.0001).
• It effectively increased white blood cell counts compared to control groups (MD: 0.64, P<.00001).
• A pronounced effect was observed when Bojungikgi-tang was administered based on pattern identification, such as Qi deficiency (OR: 0.32, P=.0002).

Conclusions:

• Bojungikgi-tang demonstrates efficacy in preventing and treating chemotherapy-induced leukopenia.
• It appears to have a lower risk of adverse reactions compared to Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) injections.
• High-quality clinical studies are needed to address bias and heterogeneity, confirming these findings.