A regimen of Chinese medicinal herbs has been credited with the successful treatment of a lung cancer patient.

According to published research from Australia, a "51-year-old woman diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lung (T2N2M0) by cytological tests and a CT scan has survived for 8 years."

"During this period of time, she had been treated with Chinese herbal medicine alone for 4 years," reported H.L.M. Liang and coauthors at RMIT University in Bundoora. "The herbal prescription consisted of nine Chinese medicinal herbs. These herbs have been reported to possess antitumor and immune-enhancing effects."

"Therefore, it is suggested that the herbal treatment for this patient might have contributed to the complete regression of her lung carcinoma," the investigators concluded. "Further research on the actions of these herbs is warranted."

Liang and colleagues published their findings in Lung Cancer (Regression of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung by Chinese herbal medicine: a case with an 8-year follow-up. Lung Cancer-j Iaslc, 2004;43(3):355-360).

Additional information can be obtained by contacting C.C.L. Xue, RMIT University, RMIT Chinese Medicine Research Group, Bundoora West Campus, P.O. Box 71, Bundoora, Vic 3083, Australia.

The publisher of the journal Lung Cancer can be contacted at: Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd., Customer Relations Manager, Bay 15, Shannon Industrial Estate, Co, Clare, Ireland.

The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Biotechnology, Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Immunology, Oncology, Pharmaceutical & Drug Development and Pulmonary Medicine. This article was prepared by Cancer Weekly editors from staff and other reports.

From newsrx.com