The study on the efficacy of improving cancer-related fatigue after the treatment with ginseng Guben Oral liquid

Background Cancer-related fatigue (C-RF) is a prevalent and debilitating symptom among cancer patients, significantly impacting their quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Ginseng Guben Oral Liquid in treating C-RF. Methods In this multicentric, randomized controlled, prospective study we recruited 240 patients with advanced solid tumors who were hospitalized at different hospitals from April 2021 to May 2022. 240 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group with 120 patients in each group. The primary endpoint was the change in the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) score from baseline after 6 weeks of treatment. Secondary endpoints included changes in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety/Depression (HADS-A/D), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS), and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTCQLQ-C30) after 6 weeks of treatment. Results The experimental group showed statistically significant improvements ( p < 0.05) in fatigue, anxiety, depression, and quality of life compared to the control group after 6 weeks of treatment. Based on the Full Analysis Set (FAS), statistically significant improvements were observed across primary endpoints of BFI (mean difference (MD) = −1.28, 95 % confidence interval (CI): −1.41 to −0.53). No significant difference in adverse events was observed between the two groups (95 % CI: −0.7 % to 4.0 %). Conclusion Ginseng Guben Oral Liquid effectively alleviated the symptoms of C-RF in cancer patients. These findings support the integration of traditional Chinese medicine with contemporary cancer therapies.