Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading contributors to cancer-related mortality and morbidity worldwide. Traditional Chinese medicines have been widely employed to treat various types of cancer in China. This investigation aims to determine the association between Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) therapy and survival outcomes in CRC patients with liver-limited metastases. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed among patients with colorectal liver metastases at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine in Guangzhou, China. Data from a series of consecutive patients were collected via an electronic medical record system or telephone follow-up. We defined high exposure as a period of CHM therapy lasting more than 6 months. The primary outcome was overall survival. Results: The study included the data of 191 patients from January 2008 to December 2017; 126 patients (65.97%) met the inclusion criteria of high exposure to CHM. Multivariate analyses revealed that high exposure to CHM was associated with better overall survival (hazard ratio = 0.444, 95% confidence interval = [0.213, 0.926], P = .030). The association was further confirmed by a subgroup exploratory analysis. Conclusion: Long-term CHM therapy is correlated with improved survival outcomes in CRC patients with liver-limited metastases.

Background. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is becoming a global disease. A percentage of IBD patients will not react to therapy or will lose their response. Qu-Yu-Jie-Du Decoction (QYJD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula commonly used for intestinal diseases. It has been reported that QYJD has an anti-inflammatory effect, but the mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, we mainly evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of QYJD and explored the possible mechanisms. Methods. Twenty-four BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 4 groups according to their body weight, namely, the control group, the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) group, the DSS+QYJD group, and the QYJD group. Mice were given 3 DSS drinking water freely, and at the same time, mice were given normal saline or QYJD (4.44mg/g/d), respectively. Mental state, faeces, and weight were recorded every day. On the 10th day, the mice were sacrificed and collected for investigation. The length of the mice colon was measured. Histological analysis was used to detect the morphological changes in the colon. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the infiltration of macrophages (F4/80, CD163) and neutrophils (Ly6G). Colorimetry was used to detect the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity of colon tissues. ELISA was utilized to detect associated inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in colon tissues. Results. QYJD alleviated the weight loss and colitis symptoms of mice caused by DSS. QYJD fought against the shortening of the intestine caused by DSS; that is, it improved the decline of intestinal compliance in mice and had a protective effect on colon tissues. The mechanisms were related to downregulating macrophages and neutrophils in colon tissues of infiltration. Besides, QYJD simultaneously reduced the activity of myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) and the contents of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, TGF-β, CCL2, and CXCL2 in colon tissues. Conclusions. QYJD can ameliorate DSS-induced colitis in mice and the mechanism is connected with a reduction in neutrophil and macrophage infiltration.

Background: Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a potential cancer biomarker. However, its prognostic value in patients with colorectal liver metastasis remains unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between ALP levels and mortality risk in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), providing insights for enhancing prognostic assessments. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: This study included 195 patients with CRLM from a single centre in China. ALP level was the primary exposure variable, with demographic, clinical and pathological factors serving as covariates. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the impact of ALP on mortality over a 4-year follow-up period. Covariates included the number of liver metastases, T stage, N stage, chemotherapy, tumour location, primary surgery, topical treatment, apolipoprotein A1, targeted therapy, tumour type, CA-199 levels, metastatic surgery, sex, Karnofsky Performance Status and age. Results: Of 195 enrolled patients, 134 (68.72%) were male, and 61 (31.28%) were female, with ages ranging from January 2008 to December 2019. A total of 147 patients (76.96%) were diagnosed with left hemicolon cancer and 44 (23.04%) with right hemicolon cancer. After adjusting for the covariates, elevated ALP levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio = 1.24, 95% confidence interval: 1.08–1.43, p = 0.0029). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings, reinforcing the association across different analytical approaches. Conclusion: ALP level is a valuable prognostic indicator in patients with CRLM. Integrating ALP measurement into clinical practice may enhance risk stratification and patient management. Future research should explore the role of ALP in broader populations and explore its implications for treatment strategies.

Background. Colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) is a high degree of malignancy with rapid disease progression and has a poor prognosis. Both serum apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) play key roles in anti-inflammation and antitumor. This study is aimed at evaluating the implication of serum ApoA-I level in combination with NLR in the prognosis of CRLM. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the serum ApoA-I level and NLR in 237 patients with CRLM. Cox regression analyses were used to identify the independent prognostic significance of these indicators. Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were applied to compute overall survival (OS). Both the ApoA-I and NLR were divided into three levels, according to their medians. A risk-stratified prediction model was established to evaluate the prognosis of patients with CRLM. The ROC curve AUC values were applied to evaluate the capability of the model. Results. Higher levels of ApoA-I and lower NLR were strongly associated with prolonged OS (Log-rank test, $P<0.05$ ). The patients were then grouped into three queues according to the ApoA-I level and NLR. There was a crucial diversity in the OS ( $P<0.001$ ) between the high-risk ( $\text{ApoA}-\text{I}\le 1.03$ g/L and $\text{NLR}>3.24$ ), medium-risk ( $\text{ApoA}-\text{I}>1.03$ g/L or $\text{NLR}\le 3.24$ ) and low-risk groups ( $\text{ApoA}-\text{I}>1.03$ g/L and $\text{NLR}\le 3.24$ ). The AUC value of the prediction model ( $\text{AUC}=0.623$ , 95% CI: 0.557-0.639, $P=0.001$ ) was higher than other individual indicators (including ApoA-I, NLR, cT classification, and cN classification). Additionally, the association of the prediction model and cTN classification ( $\text{AUC}=0.715$ , 95% CI: 0.606-0.708, $P<0.001$ ) was better than the model and cTN classification alone. Conclusion. The combination of ApoA-I level and NLR could be a prognostic indicator for CRLM.

Purpose: We aimed to assess the efficacy of the Jiang Tang San Huang (JTSH) tablet for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: All data for this retrospective cohort study were acquired from the outpatient clinic database of our institution, and all enrolled patients received JTSH tablet for at least two months. Overall, 147 patients were included in the analysis. The primary outcome was patient-reported outcomes on the efficacy of the JTSH tablets using a questionnaire survey. Correlation analysis evaluated the duration of JTSH tablet administration and glycemic control in patients with T2DM. The secondary outcome measures included: changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-β) after 2 months of treatment with JTSH tablets. Results: Overall,120 patients (81.63%) reported a JTSH tablet treatment satisfaction score of ≥ 60 points, and believed that JTSH tablets had satisfactory hypoglycemic effects and could improve symptoms. The average duration of JTSH tablet treatment was 2.57± 1.45 years. Overall, 111 patients achieved good blood glucose control, while 36 patients had poor glycemic control. Multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that taking JTSH tablets for 1 year might reduce the risk of poor hypoglycemic effect by 17.00% (Risk ratio=0.830, 95% confidence interval:0.578, 1.021, P=0.066). Compared with the baseline data, the levels of HbA1c, FPG and HOMA-IR decreased significantly and HOMA-β levels increased significantly (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Good blood glucose control may be positively correlated with the duration of JTSH tablets administration. Patients with T2DM were satisfied with the anti-diabetic effects of JTSH tablets, which can significantly reduce blood glucose and insulin resistance, and improve the function of islet cells.