Abstract: Abstract Objective To observe the recent adjuvant clinical efficacy and side effects of Compound kushen injection in treating with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Methods 120 patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma for initial treatment in our hospital from October, 2006 to November, 2011 were randomly divided into two groups: the kushen group (n=60) and the control group (n=60). Both groups were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and the kushen group was given compound kushen injection in addition. Results There were no significant differences (P>0.05) between the complete response rates in the kushen group and the control group. The side effects in the kushen group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and the quality of life in the kushen group were better than that in the control group (P <0.05) Conclusion The compound kushen injection could not improve the clinical efficacy, but it could alleviate the side effects caused by concurrent chemoradiotherapy so as to improve the quality of life and to facilitate completing chemoradiotherapy.

Key words: nasopharyngeal carcinoma, concurrent chemoradiotherapy, compound kushen injection