Aim: Quxie capsule (QX), a compound of 21 kinds of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbs, has been used to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and could suppress the growth of colon cancer. However, the mechanisms of QX inhibiting colorectal cancer remain unclear. In current study, we attempted to determine the anti-colorectal cancer (CRC) effects of QX and the mechanisms of QX in alleviating colorectal cancer. Methods: A colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC) model was established by intraperitoneally injecting mice with AOM followed by 3 cycles of 2% DSS in water. During establishment of CAC model, we orally gavaged mice with QX. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemistry were performed to assess lesion of the colonic tumors. The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in colonic tumors was measured by qPCR. The proportion of immune cells in colonic tumors was analyzed by flow cytometry. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were performed to detect intestinal microbiota. The expression of glycolytic related enzymes, lactate production, and extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) were used to assess the level of aerobic glycolysis. Results: QX markedly inhibited intestinal tumorigenesis by decreasing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the proportion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and increasing the proportion of CD8⁺ T cells in colon tumors. Fecal microbiota sequencing revealed that QX increased the relative abundances of intestinal symbiotic probiotics, such as, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium genera. What’s more, opportunistic pathogens, Bacteroides genera and Aspergillus- Aspergillus fumigatus, exhibited remarkably reduced abundances in mice treated with QX compared with untreated CAC mice. Further experiments showed that QX significantly reduced glycolysis of colon tumor and suppressed A. fumigatus-induced glycolytic metabolism of colon cancer cells. Conclusions: QX alleviates the development of CRC at least in part through modulating intestinal microbiota and reducing A. fumigatus-induced aerobic glycolysis of colon cancer cells.

Integrative oncology has developed for about 20 years in some countries; however, integrative oncology is still a relative new term for most China’s oncologists. Thus, it is essential to summarize the experience and expertise, share details of differing existing models and discuss future perspectives to help define and guide practice in integrative oncology in China. This study presents a summary of the basic characteristics, status, and challenges of integrative oncology in China, and also reports on China’s integrative physicians’ service delivery, clinical practice and research patterns of integrative oncology by an online national survey, including 405 oncologists. It is easy for cancer patients to access to integrative therapies in China. Public funding is sufficient for integrative oncology in China, and services are often provided through general hospitals and academic hospitals. Most (95.3%) of oncologists showed a positive attitude toward the development of integrative oncology. More than half (55.6%) of the oncologists worried about the influence on integrative oncology of COVID-19, especially for routine treatment, follow-up and holding seminars. We found that integrative oncology in China has swiftly developed in recent years. However, we suggest that standard diagnosis and treatment patterns and national professional guidelines should be set up as soon as possible.

Introduction: Helicobacter pylori is a major health problem, with the high prevalence of H. pylori and the increasing antibiotic resistance rate in China. Antibiotic resistance is the main reason for the failure of H. pylori eradication. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of susceptibility-guided quadruple therapy with antibiotic resistance using the string test coupled with quantitative PCR (qPCR) for H. pylori eradication. Methods and analysis: This is a multicentre, open, randomised clinical trial that will enroll 324 patients with H. pylori infection. Patients will be randomised to two groups for a 14-day treatment: Treatment group will be treated with proton pump inhibitor (PPI), bismuth with two different kinds of antibiotics susceptibly guided by string test coupled with qPCR, while control group will be treated empirically with PPI, bismuth with two different kinds of antibiotics. The types and dosages of bismuth, PPI and antibiotics administered in this trial are based on the 2022 Chinese Guidelines for the treatment of H. pylori infection and the Sixth Chinese National Consensus Report on the management of H. pylori infection. The primary endpoint is the eradication rate, while secondary endpoints include compliance, the incidence of adverse events and adverse drug reactions. Ethics and dissemination: This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Third People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou (No. 2024-04-001-K02). The results will be published in the appropriate peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration number: ChiCTR2400082768.

Viewpoints of investigator on CONSORT 2025 statement-updated guideline for reporting randomized trials